Only Slytherin
by SarcasticTraitor
Summary: At Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, you can like your crush without being worrying about being laughed by, pummelled or killed, right? So Alice thinks. The only problem is that her boyfriend is a Slytherin. Merry Christmas, Guys!
1. Year 1: First Sight

**First Sight**

**AN: This is the result of the highest voted choice in my poll. I know that there are a lot of these around, but I love doing them, all the same.**

**Disclaimer: Twilight & Harry Potter are not mine.**

Alice grinned to herself as she stalked down Diagon Alley with Bella and Rosalie. It was the first time she was alone in Diagon Alley with only her friends.

"All right. Cauldron, books, and wands...what else do we need?"

"A uniform, of course." Rosalie smiled at Alice. "Clothes, Alice. Isn't that your favourite?"

"Yep, sure do." Alice skipped impatiently beside both Rosalie and Bella, "I can hardly wait!"

Rosalie and Bella sighed at their friend's enthusiasm. "Calm down, Alice. Why are you so eager over clothes?"

"And why are you so eager about _books?_" Alice challenged her.

"Books make you smart." Bella was firm.

"And clothes will get us better-looking boyfriends." Alice pulled her two friends towards Madam Malkin's shop.

"Boyfriends? Hell, Alice, you are only eleven years old…"

Their conversation trailed off as they entered the shop.

Madam Malkin, a squat, smiling witch greeted them warmly. "Hogwarts, dears?"

"Yes, ma'am." Bella was ever so polite. Alice was secretly laughing.

"Well, well, well, we _do_ have a lot today. We have three more boys being fitted up here at the moment." She tugged Alice over to the back of the shop while two more witches began to look to Rosalie and Alice. At the back of the shop, there were indeed three other boys.

One of them, a bronze-colour haired boy turned and grinned at the three of them. "Hello," he said, "Hogwarts, too?"

Alice was about to reply, but Bella bet her. "Sure."

"I'm Edward, and these are my friends, Emmett and Jasper." The boy smiled at Bella. Alice stared at him; he was plain _handsome. _Two others appeared, both as different as peas and apples. One of them was muscular and big, despite his age while the other was slightly taller, but thin and tired-looking.

"Hi!" boomed the bigger, muscular boy, "I'm Emmett!"

Rosalie's grin was getting wider and wider and she erupted into a sudden fit of laughter. Emmett frowned.

"Is anything wrong?"

"No," choked Rosalie, "you're just…really…funny!"

Alice smiled as everyone else laughed. She had to admit that Emmett was quite funny. Then her attention turned to the last boy, who was standing with his head down, silent and unnoticed.

"That's Jasper," Emmett said, as an answer to Alice's unanswered question, "but don't try to talk to him, he's mute."

"What?" Alice was shocked. She could see that the others were, too.

"Mute?" said Rosalie faintly.

"That's all, dear," Madam Malkin said to Emmett, and he hopped down from the stool. He was the last of the boys.

"Well…guess we'll see you at Hogwarts. First years?"

"Yep." Rosalie was still staring at Emmett's muscles.

"Same here. Well, bye." Edward turned and stalked out of the shop, but not before turning to look at Bella one last time.

"BYE!" Emmett boomed. Rosalie collapsed into another fit of giggles.

Jasper just waved, a small smile on his lips. Alice stared long after him.

---

Bella's dreamy look was interrupted by Alice chucking a newt's eye at her.

"Bella! Wake **up!**"

Bella sighed dreamily. "Did you see how handsome Edward was?"

"Yes, Bella, but let's just hurry up and get out of this place! I can't imagine how you two can be so romantic in a place like this!"

Rosalie seemed to snap out of her trance. The air around them was so full of bad eggs and rotted cabbages, Alice was gagging. Bella screwed up her face.

"Ew," she said, looking at a jar of pickled slugs. Rosalie was frozen at the sight of beetle eyes. Then the man behind the counter (with yellow, rotting teeth and a huge stomach) came over.

"Hellooo, my little pretty missies, what would you like?"

"Yikes," Alice whispered, "um, we want to---"

"GET OUT OF HERE!" Rosalie screamed and pulled her two friends out of the Apothecary.

As soon as they were out of there, Bella pointed to the distance.

"Look! It's Ed---"

Rosalie pulled Bella away. "Not today, Bella. Do you want to get an owl?"

Bella sighed. "I wish that September the first would come soon."

Alice nodded. "Me too."

**Feedback is appreciated. Especially when I have to go and read the whole b******g series again.**

**Please REVIEW!!!**


	2. September The First

**September the First.**

Alice wheeled her trolley over to platform nine and three quarters. Beside her, Bella was humming a love song, which was driving her nuts.

"Bella, will you _quit singing!_"

Alice wasn't usually so touchy, but the fact that her parents had decided not to see her off to school was quite disconcerting.

"I wonder where Rosalie is," Bella muttered, finally stopping the ridiculous song.

Alice didn't really care. "You know, Bella, I think that Jasper looks like someone…"

Bella was instantly alert. "You know what? Me too! But I just don't' know who…"

They approached the barrier between platform nine and ten. "Ready to commit suicide?" Alice teased Bella.

"Sure," Bella flashed a smile, "you first."

"Huh!" Alice would show her. She wheeled her trolley to face the solid brick wall, and then rushed at it, not looking to see if any muggles were coming. The wall was getting closer and closer…she squeezed her eyes shut and…

Nothing happened. She opened her eyes, and the scarlet steam engine that she had seen so many times in her dreams was there. Behind her, Bella appeared, looking really bewildered.

"Hey! This is way cool!" Bella was grinning.

"Hey! I see Rose!" Alice shouted.

Rosalie was already there, back to them. Alice noticed with annoyance that she had already decided to dress in her Hogwarts robes, and several boys were looking at her hopefully while a gang of girls were trying to flirt with the boys.

"Rosalie!" Bella shouted, rushing over. Rosalie turned, surprise on her face.

Alice raised her eyebrows at Rosalie, who, amazingly, was holding hands with Jasper.

"Rosalie?" Bella asked, her expression surprised.

Rosalie appeared to be embarrassed. "Um, sorry, Bella and Alice, I forgot to mention that Jasper is my younger brother."

For some unknown reason, the tension in Alice's shoulders suddenly dropped. "Hi," she said cheerfully to Jasper, who nodded at her.

"Come on, let's get onto the train," Edward started dragging his luggage towards the scarlet engine, "we've only got ten minutes left, find a seat, you know…"

Alice started to drag her trunk over to the train, but it was far too heavy for her. She tugged and pulled, but failed miserably. There was a sudden hand on her shoulder, and she looked up to see Jasper's tired face. _Do you need help?_ His expression inquired.

"Um, can you help me?" she asked, not wanting to take chances. He smiled and began to drag her luggage towards the train.

They were lucky to get a compartment to themselves, though it was a little squishy because it was meant for four people, but they all managed to fit in. Alice found herself squished against the window---right opposite Jasper.

Edward slipped off his coat. "Uh, aren't any of you hot?" he complained.

"No, dude, only you'd be this much of an idiot to wear so many clothes." Alice noticed that Emmett was wearing only a thin T-shirt and shorts. Her eyes slid automatically to Jasper's shirt, which was buttoned right up to his neck, hiding his throat. Then she noticed self-consciously that her purple shirt was a little too big for her.

"Okay," said Edward, when they were all sitting nicely together, "I don't suppose that we had a chance to introduce ourselves properly in Madam Malkin's shop, so let's do it now. Who do we start with?"

"Ooh, me!" Alice was really eager, "I'm Alice Brandon, I mean," she blushed, "my first name is actually Mary, but I hate the name, so I'd prefer my middle name, Alice. I'm short for my age, and I know it, so it's not necessary to call me pixy." She shot them all a deadly glare, which said plainly: _this is what you get if you do._

"Okay," said Bella, who seemed bursting to tell Edward about herself, "I'm Bella Swan, my parents are divorced and I live with my dad Charlie. I have three dogs and two cats, and I love reading and drawing. Unlike Alice, who is a shopping girl."

"Hey, what's wrong with shopping?" Alice moaned.

"Actually, all you do is to try on a thousand clothes and throw them all back in the shop keeper's face," Rosalie teased.

"All right. I'm Edward, Edward Masen," he was definitely blushing, "I'm the only kid in my family, and all of them have been in Gryffindor, so I now that I'll be butchered by my father if I end up in somewhere like Slytherin. Danger is my middle name---"

"I thought it was Herbert," said Emmett, frowning.

"Whatever. Emmett, your turn."

"I already introduced myself. **I'M EMMETT!**" he boomed at them all once more, "yeah, that probably summons up most of my personality. I'm really, really outgoing, I like to crack blond jokes," here, he stopped and messed up Jasper's hair, earning him a scowl from Jasper, "and I'm the strongest person in my family. That's it. Rosalie…?"

Rosalie jolted. "Oh, sorry," she had been too busy looking at Emmett's perfection, "I'm Rosalie Hale. There's nothing special about me, except I love to dress up and play Barbie doll with Alice. And of course, Jasper's my younger brother." Alice giggled secretly at the past experiences.

"Which leaves…Jasper," said Emmett. Jasper just smiled and pulled out a piece of parchment.

"_Hi,"_ he wrote. Alice noticed that his handwriting was smooth and elegant. But then, he must've had a lot of practice, being mute and all,_ "I'm Rosalie's younger brother, except we take different surnames---she takes Hale while I take Whitlockso that usually no one can guess that we're realated. Same here---there's nothing really special about me, except that I'm 90%, because of an attack when I was little. Actually, I can talk, but my vocal cords hurt from the wounds I suffered."_

"Oh, no you don't," growled Emmett, "don't listen to all that nonsense. He's really smart, probably to make up for his silence."

"So that's everyone," said Bella, "did you know that Harry Potter is on this train as well?"

"Who? Potter?" Edward wrinkled up his nose, "you mean the famous Harry Potter?" Emmett started to tell Rosalie all the training he did for his muscles, while Jasper pulled out a thick book and began to read. Alice just stared out of the window, listening with disinterest.

"Yeah," said Bella, "and have you heard that…"

Then the door slid open, revealing a pale faced boy, flanked by two mean-looking boys.

"So," he sneered, "its Hale, Masen, Swan, Brandon, Whitlock and McCarty, is it?"

"Get lost, Malfoy," hissed Edward through clenched teeth.

"Oh, I don't think that we'll be going too quickly," Malfoy looked at them carefully, "Look, Crabbe, Goyle, it's the Emo Kid, Mr. Muscle Man, Barbie Doll, Mute Softie and the Pixy."

Alice was instantly on her feet. "Don't you call me _pixy,_ you filthy git," she hissed.

Malfoy's face was furious. "Take that make, you…"

"_Mudblood_?" Rosalie inquired sweetly, "oh, no, Malfoy, you're not going to call anyone _mudblood_ here, because we're all either half bloods or pure bloods."

"And we advise you not to call any muggles mudbloods, either," Emmett warned.

Malfoy opened his mouth to argue, but instead, Jasper turned from his book finally and waved a silent spell. Malfoy continued to jeer at them, but no sound came out. Furious at both being outsmarted and silenced, Malfoy glared at them all and went away, followed by Crabbe and Goyle.

"Idiots," muttered Edward.

"Hey, that spell was so cool. What's it called?" Alice was interested.

Jasper smiled at her and wrote on the parchment: _silenco. _

Alice smiled and pointed her wand at Jasper. "Silenco!"

Everyone else laughed, while Jasper opened and closed like a fish, pretending to be silent.

The rest of the afternoon was spent sharing stories with each other, eating pumpkin pasties and chocolate frogs and Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans.

At around five o'clock, their compartment door slid open again, this time revealing a bossy looking girl with wild, bushy hair and rather large front teeth. She turned and started to address them, but stopped abruptly when she caught sight of Emmett's grin.

"What are _you_ laughing at?"

"Nothing." Alice stared at her teeth.

"Neville's lost his toad," the girl glared at them, "and a boy called Draco Malfoy says that someone has been performing spells here. Which one of you?" she looked at them all with accusing eyes.

"Who're you?" Emmett asked rudely.

"Hermione Granger, but I don't suppose that you'd know me. Oh well, you'll all know me soon enough when I become the best in the year, even if I _am_ a muggle."

Alice saw Rosalie's eyes slide over to Jasper, who was still reading, "oh, we shall see. But no, we haven't seen any toad."

"If we have," Edward grinned, "we'd have eaten them."

"You are _so_ immature," Hermione rolled her eyes, but left. As soon as she was gone, everyone gave a sigh of relief.

"Wow, that was one hell of a muggle," said Rosalie, pretending to shiver. Alice secretly agreed. They all started to change into their uniform (boys were shooed outside by a very firm Rosalie and Bella) and then sat down to talk about houses.

"I _have_ to be in Gryffindor," Edward groaned for the millionth time.

"I so want to be in Gryffindor," said Bella, "but Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw don't seem too bad, either."

"It's Slytherin you'll have to watch out for," Emmett said, with a note of annoyance at Draco Malfoy in his voice.

"No Slytherin has ended with a nice end," agreed Rosalie, "but I think Jazz and I'll be in Hufflepuff, just about seventy percent of our family's in Hufflepuff, twenty in Ravenclaw, nine in Gryffindor and one in Slytherin."

"Wow, you're very accurate," Alice said.

A voice echoed through the train: "we'll be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes time. Please leave your luggage on the train, as they will be taken up to the school separately."

Alice let out a smile. "Well, here we are."

"Yeah," Edward agreed, "let's go to Hogwarts."

As everyone piled off the train, the cold night air hit Alice, making her shiver.

"Firs' years! Firs' years! Firs' years over here!"

A huge man loomed over everyone else. Bella started to giggle when she saw the man. Alice had to admit that he was pretty funny; his face was entirely covered with hair. His beard was huge.

As they followed the weird man down a slippery, steep, narrow path, Emmett couldn't help laughing. "Oh, I know who he is!"

"Well?" Rosalie asked.

"It's Hagrid, the gamekeeper." Emmett was still chuckling as the reached a black lake, where a huge castle was perched on the mountain on the other side.

"No more than four to a boat!" Hagrid shouted, getting into a boat by himself. Alice clung onto Bella, which meant that she wanted to be in a boat with her.

"Fine," Bella sighed. Edward and Emmett climber into their boat, where Rosalie and Jasper climbed into another. Shoot, she should have thought of something else…

"Everyone in? Right then---FORWARD!"

As they sailed, or glided, or flew across the lake, Alice sat back and admired the great view of the castle. Her breath was taken away at such grandness and beauty…

They scrambled out of the boats when it reached the bank; there was a pathway that led up right to the castle Hagrid stopped at the door and knocked three times.

The door swung open immediately, revealing a stern looking witch. Alice recognized her as Professor McGonagall from the stories.

"Thank you, Hagrid, I will take them from here." Her eyes surveyed them like a hawk as she led them to a small chamber before turning to address them all.

"Welcome to Hogwarts. The start-of-term banquet will begin very shortly, but before you take your seats, you will be…"

Alice had heard this countless of times. She tapped her foot impatiently as she listened, the same old speech repeated as by her elders.

"…I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting." She turned and left, but not before glaring at a few people. Alice quickly smoothed down her robes while Edward began checking his hair. Rosalie began fussing over herself and Jasper while Bella looked at herself worriedly in a small mirror.

"I've got to be in Gryffindor," Edward muttered, "please, please, please…"

"Stop that, Edward, you're getting on my nerves!" Emmett elbowed Edward.

Several ghosts slid out of the wall. Alice wasn't surprised; she had heard about how much the Hogwarts ghosts liked to frighten first years before they were sorted, but many people around her were terrified.

"Move along now," came Professor McGonagall's sharp voice and they were all put into one line. Alice could see that everyone was now queasy; she herself was feeling touchy. Then they entered the hall.

It was all there---the thousands of splendid candles, long tables filled with empty plates, golden goblets and plates, glittering silverware…Alice saw the legends for the first time. The ceiling itself was enchanting to look at. Alice heard, with annoyance, Hermione Granger whispering that it was bewitched to look like the sky outside. What a show-off.

Professor McGonagall placed a stool and a hat in front of the first years. Alice sighed. It was the Sorting Hat. Sure enough, it began to sing:

_Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,_

_But don't judge on what you see,_

_I'll eat myself if you can find a smarter hat than me._

Alice giggled. The Sorting Hat was pretty funny. She saw Emmett's mouth stretching into a wide, uncontrollable grin.

_So put me on! Don't be afraid!_

_And don't get in a flap!_

_You're in safe hands (though I have none)_

_For I'm a thinking cap!_

Everyone applauded as the hat finished its song. And now, the first student was being called…

"Abbott, Hannah!"

Alice jolted. They were being called by their last names! She watched, the uneasy feeling in her stomach growing as Hannah was put in Hufflepuff. Then—

"Brandon, Mary-Alice!"

Alice cringed at the use of her proper full name and sat onto the stool. Then she screwed up her nose, because the hat stank.

"Hmm, where shall I put you?" the hat teased her, "very, very difficult…"

"Not Slytherin," she begged silently.

"Oh, you people are very picky. And maybe we'll end up with no Slytherins in the entire school. Okay, okay," the hat sighed when Alice uttered a very threatening growl, "because you are brave enough to argue with me, and you're actually the first to, I'll put you in—Gryffindor!"

Alice took off the hat and walked shakily over to the table that erupted with cheers and found herself sandwiched between a prefect and a pair of twins.

"Congratulations, Alice," said the prefect, holding out his hand, "I'm Percy, Percy Weasley."

"Fred and George," said the twins.

"Hi," said Alice. She would've joined their conversation if it hadn't been for Rosalie, who was being sorted. She crossed her hands under the table.

"Gryffindor!"

Alice breathed out a sigh of relief and clapped hard as Rosalie came to sit beside her. The Weasley twins had to move over for her.

Alice smiled happily as she watched a boy called Neville Longbottom jog off to the Gryffindor table, still wearing the hat. Edward, Bella, and Emmett all managed to get themselves in Gryffindor. Finally—

"Whitlock, Jasper!"

Alice watched nervously as Jasper stumbled forward and put on the hat. She waited, not breathing as the hat debated what to do with him.

"Slytherin!"

**AN: thanks for all the reviews!!! They're really great encouragement for my story, which is going to be a little long, I'm afraid. And please don't be too angry about the house sorting.**

**Please REVIEW!!! (considering that this is the longest chapter of all my stories)**


	3. Are you a big, fat PIGHEAD?

**Are you a big, fat PIGHEAD???**

The look on Jasper's face was the saddest thing that Alice had seen as he took off the hat and went over to the cheering Slytherins. Beside her, Edward, Emmett, Bella and Rosalie—especially Rosalie—all had expressions of shock on their face.

"But—but—but," stammered Bella as the last the last boy went to Slytherin and Professor McGonagall rolled up the scroll and the headmaster stood up to speak, "but Rosalie, I thought that it was impossible to be Slytherin for your family!"

Rosalie's expression quickly changed from being surprised to fury and hate and she turned to her plates in front of her, where food had magically appeared. She didn't answer Bella.

"Rose?"

Rosalie took a deep breath and looked across the hall to where her brother was sitting, disbelief and pain still on his face as he stared back. "Traitor," she hissed.

"Are you alright, Rose?" Emmett asked.

"No, of course I'm not alright, my brother is in _Slytherin_, how can I be alright?" she nearly shouted. Then she stopped and forced an apologetic smile.

"Sorry, guys. I'm just overreacting. See, Bella, the truth is that no one has in our family has been in Slytherin before. He's the first one." Then she glared at Jasper again, who still wouldn't look away.

"I can't believe it," whispered Edward, "Jasper, a _Slytherin?_"

Alice shivered to herself, but started eating. The Weasley twins had a healthy appetite, and were cleaning the plates around her faster than she could blink.

Then a ghost appeared out from the table. "Hello, and welcome to Gryffindor!" he boomed, "I'm Nearly Headless Nick." He looked at Alice. "I' m hoping that we'll all win the house cup this year!"

Alice was feeling sleepy as she listened to the conversations. It had been a rather big day, after all…

She suddenly jolted awake to everyone singing the last part of the school song. "Oh, no!" she cried in horror, "did I fall asleep? I've just missed out!"

Bella laughed. "Come on, let's go to bed." Percy was already shouting for them to hurry up.

Alice found that she wasn't' paying much attention when she woke up from her mindless and aimless walking to find herself lost. There was no one in sight. She started to panic. "_Where am I?_" she thought. She heard sudden voices and hurried forward towards the voices.

"Turned out quite well, Professor Dumbledore. Potter ended exactly where you expected."

"Yes, Professor McGonagall," came Dumbledore's voice, "someone, however, didn't."

Alice held her breath as a new voice joined in their conversation. "Whitlock, headmaster?"

"You guess my thoughts, Professor Snape." They were drawing closer and closer…

"Indeed, Professor Snape" came Professor McGonagall's voice, "I would have thought that he ended in Gryffindor with his elder sister Rosalie."

"Hale is his brother?" Snape sounded surprised.

"Their parents prefer them to take different surnames, professor," said Dumbledore, "and I'd like you to go and speak with him before he goes to bed, Professor Snape. He seems quite disturbed—hasn't eaten anything at dinner, poor boy. But then, he_ is_ the first one in his family to end up in Slytherin, if I can remember correctly. We don't need another Tom Riddle or Greyback."

"What?" Professor McGonagall's voice was drawing closer and closer.

"And who's this? Alice!"

They had rounded the corner, seeing Alice. "Are you alright?" Dumbledore asked kindly.

"I—I'm afraid I lost my way, sir," stammered Alice.

"Professor McGonagall?"

"Yes, sir." Professor McGonagall gestured for Alice to follow her. Alice followed uncertainly.

"Goodnight," Dumbledore tipped his hat at her.

"Goodnight, sir." She was busy staring at the sallow, hooked-nosed man, whom turned out to be Professor Snape.

"Come along now," said Professor McGonagall. She led Alice through the school, pointing out where to watch out for, where to go, how to get around…

They rounded the final corner when McGonagall suddenly said: "I'm sorry, Brandon, but I have errands to run. The password's Caput Draconis." She stalked away, leaving Alice alone.

Alice rounded the corner and saw an incredible sight.

"Please," Jasper was pleading with Percy. His was pinned against the wall by the Weasley twins, "I _have_ to see my sister." Alice heard his voice for the first time; it was not unpleasant, but a little hoarse, like he hadn't been using it for a long time. Alice saw the pain on his face as he spoke, wincing with every word.

"Sorry, Whitlock, but you should really be down in bed," snarled Fred.

"Yeah," said George, "down in the dungeons, with the rest of your stinking mates."

Then the portrait swung open, revealing Rosalie. Alice quickly went and hid behind the corner, not wanting to be part of the argument.

"Jasper?" came Rosalie's bewildered voice, "what are you doing here?" then anger entered her voice.

"Get away from me, you stinking Slytherin!"

Alice winced as she heard scuffles from a fight, and then she heard something slam. A few seconds later, she heard someone get up from the floor and go away in the opposite direction.

She held her breath and stepped around the corner. The corridor was clear. She went up to the portrait.

"Password?" a huge, pink lady asked her.

"Caput Draconis." Alice walked in.

"Alice!" Bella was instantly at her side, "Alice, I've been so worried--"

"Where's Rose?" Alice asked, not wanting to know.

"She's upstairs already, crying because Jasper had been put into Slytherin," Bella was frowning as she led Alice up the stairs, "that's the boy's dormitories…"

Alice walked into the room and saw Hermione Granger sitting on top o9f her bed, a huge book in her lap that was similar to Jasper's. Beside her, was Rosalie.

"Rose!" said Alice.

Rosalie had indeed been crying; her eyes were red and she was still sobbing. Hermione patted her shoulder.

"There, it's all right," Hermione said. Alice was surprised that such a bossy girl knew how to comfort anyone, "he won't be angry at you, I'm sure he understands…"

"He won't forgive me!" Rosalie wailed, "Hermione, you didn't see the look on his face! I've been _evil_, especially to my own brother…" she trailed off into silence.

"Nothing to worry about," Alice hugged Rosalie, knowing that it would do the trick. It did. Rosalie stopped crying and smiled weakly.

"Thanks, Alice." She got up and went to the bathroom. Alice stretched and smiled at all of them.

"I'm second to the bathroom."

---

"Wake up!" Alice screeched in Bella's ear. Bella groaned.

"Alice, it's only five o'clock."

"No, it's half past seven." Rosalie pounced on Bella, "hurry up, you. You're the last one."

"Oh, man!" Bella was instantly out of her bed. She was so clumsy that she dragged her blanket behind her to the bathroom. Everyone laughed, including Hermione.

They met the two other boys in the common room. "**GOOD MORNING!!!**" Emmett boomed.

Edward grinned. "Emmett's typical way of a good morning."

They went down to breakfast along with the other Gryffindors. Today, everyone seemed eager to see Harry Potter.

"Don't know what he's famous for," Emmett yawned as he buttered his toast. Edward shot his a dirty look.

"For goodness sake, Emmett, he's faced Voldemort!" Bella was craning her neck to see Harry. Alice noticed that Edward seemed a little annoyed.

Rosalie smiled and started to reply, but just at that moment, Jasper came into the Great Hall, alone. Instantly, Rosalie turned away. Jasper looked at their way for a second, and then turned away.

Bella noticed it too. "Rose, I think that you should go and make up with him. He's your brother, and it's not his fault that he ended up in Slytherin."

"I just can't face him," Rosalie whispered. Jasper was sitting at the Slytherin's table now, but there didn't seem to be anyone who wanted to sit with him.

Professor McGonagall was now passing the timetables out. Alice looked at their timetable.

"Double potions, first thing in the morning." She sighed. The potions master didn't sound too nice.

"I've heard that he's really mean," muttered Edward.

"What?" asked Bella.

"Snape, the potions master."

Snape, at this point, entered the room. They all looked at him.

"Head of Slytherin," Edward was muttering, "I've heard that Snape favours his house. We'll be able to see if it's true."

Alice shovelled her breakfast down her throat, but secretly watched Jasper out of the corner of her eye. He was still alone—that was, until two seconds ago. She watched, seething as she saw Draco Malfoy go over and taunt him.

Potions turned out to be the most disastrous class Alice had ever taken. All throughout the lesson, Snape criticized them, but not before starting on Harry. Alice felt sorry for him—how was he to know a single thing?

"Wrong way, Brandon," Snape snapped at her as she measured the required ingredients. She tried not to puke when everyone had to stand on their chairs, due to a disaster created by Neville. He was sent up to the Hospital Wing. He then criticized Harry and took a point from Gryffindor.

By the end of the lesson, Alice had only something that looked like cat sick at the bottom of her cauldron. Only Hermione and Jasper had succeeded in making anything that was near curing boils. Snape ignored them both and congratulated Malfoy.

Alice seethed silently as she followed Bella and Rosalie out of the dungeon. Snape was a pure _git_; all he cared was Malfoy. She fumed as she saw Malfoy brag about his father. Bella was too busy wondering where her potion went wrong while Rosalie was busy avoiding Jasper's eye.

"Do any of you know who Greyback is?" Alice asked Emmett and Edward, who were both laughing at a stupid joke.

"Greyback?" Edward screwed his face up, "might've heard the name somewhere…no."

Emmett just shook his head.

"Or Tom Riddle?"

"No, Alice. Where'd you get all those funny names from?"

"Overheard," Alice whispered. But Edward and Emmett weren't listening.

Their next class, charms with the Ravenclaws was much better. Professor Flitwick was happy to help them, unlike Snape. They spent the class practicing _Wingardium Leviosa._

Emmett groaned as they trudged back to the Great Hall for lunch. "How do you do it?" he asked Hermione, who was the only one that could make their feather fly.

"Practice, Emmett, practice."

Everyone was in the middle of laughing when Jasper suddenly stopped it by visiting Rosalie. He tugged her away from the rest of them and forced her to look at him. Rosalie tried to look away, but he forced her to look at him.

"Rosalie, you know that it's not my fault that I ended in Slytherin." Both his face and voice were full of pain, "but if you want to ignore and hate me for that—which I think you already do, I'm afraid that Malfoy was right: you are a big, fat **PIGHEAD**," the last word was spoken with emphasized venom, and he turned and stumbled away. Alice saw him wiping his eyes on his sleeves. Rosalie came back, shock and hurt registered on her face.

"Are you okay, Rose?" asked Alice.

Rosalie sniffed. "Fine." She began to eat her salad, "it's just…complications."

The boys were at a loss for words.

Bella groaned. "Transfigurations next," she said gloomily.

**AN**

**Okay, let's just say that this story is not going to be exactly like the original one, because I don't like copying every single thing from the book. And don't expect any love scenes so soon—they're all only eleven years old, after all.**

**Please REVIEW!!!**


	4. Bad Grades on Halloween

**Bad Grades on Halloween**

September and October passed by in a whirl; they now had so much homework on their hands that they barely had time to talk about other things except for homework and their studies. The teachers seemed to be producing more and more homework before they could even finish them.

Potions with Snape hadn't improved. He visibly favoured Malfoy over everyone else, even over the students in his own house. He frequently took points off Gryffindor for no reason at all. All the Gryffindors had learnt to hate him within a surprisingly small amount of time.

Malfoy didn't help. He was always gloating about his father, who sent him daily supplies of sweets, which he was always boasting about. Edward tried to bewitch him once, but failed miserably due to Snape's abnormally large nose that was eager to sniff out trouble from the Gryffindors.

Hermione wasn't much better. Certainly, she was clever and often received high marks on her homework, but the _way_ she did it was just plain annoying. Alice and her friends learnt to avoid her, even when they were desperate for help.

And Jasper…Alice didn't see much of him because they only had potions with the Slytherins, which was every Monday, but every time she saw him, he would be alone with some thick book in he hands. He never looked their way ever again, especially at Rosalie, nor did he speak to them, just avoided them as he avoided everyone else. Rosalie was certainly a pighead; she was firm on going against him, and would not apologize, no matter what. Alice often gazed after him as he exited from the hall, his nose buried in a book. She swore that he was getting thinner and paler within every passing day.

"Perhaps you should go and speak with him," Alice suggested one day when they were having breakfast.

"Who? Him? No way," Rosalie was firm.

Edward sighed. "Look, Rose, you're his sister, especially his elder sister. Why'd you want to spoil your relationship with him?"

Rosalie didn't reply as Jasper came over and dropped a letter on the table for her. When he left, she smiled. "It's a letter from mother!" Then the smile widened and disappeared as she read the letter. Bella snatched it over and Alice read over her shoulder.

_**Dear Rosalie:**_

_**How is Hogwarts? Mummy is missing you terribly. But guess what? Last night, Snowy had kittens! Four of them! We've named them Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. You can have Summer, if you like when you get home—he's the cutest of them all! Simply adorable! And Jasper can have Winter—he's always wanted a white cat, just like Snowy! Summer is brown, like his father.**_

_**Are you having fun? Why aren't you writing? It's been two months now, and not a single letter from you! Jasper writes daily; he says that everything is perfect at Hogwarts, that he's having lots of fun. I've heard that you've got new friends, haven't you? Someone called Emmett…**_

**Alice choked back a laugh. Rosalie blushed and hid behind the Daily Prophet.**

…_**and Edward. Well, I don't want you to be mixing with boys too early! Remember, you're only eleven! And how're Bella and Alice? Say hello to them for me. Those two girls are adorable!**_

_**Love,**_

_**Mum.**_

_**XOXOXOXOXO**_

_**P.S. write back soon! Or else I won't give you Summer!**_

_**And I know that Jasper's upset about being put in Slytherin. Don't be too hard on him, will you? He SAYS that you're really comforting and caring, but I know you and him, Rosalie, so there!**_

Alice laughed. "You're mother's quite…err…intimidating."

Bella was squealing about the kittens. "Ooh, I love Snowy! When can we see her?"

"Soon," Rosalie promised. Then she frowned as she read the last part of the letter, "I thought that I'd be in big trouble, but so far, nothing's leaked." She glared across the room at Jasper, who glared back with an identical look.

"I'm writing back." Rosalie began to scribble on a piece of parchment. Bella screwed her eyes up.

"Rosalie, you may be the prettiest in the year, but your handwriting is the worst."

Rosalie didn't reply.

---

Alice stared at the results of her Transfiguration homework. Thirty out of a hundred! She couldn't believe it. She had spent centuries doing that essay! Beside her, Rosalie's twenty five and Bella's fifty wasn't much better. She saw Edward's sixty one and Emmett's forty and felt even more ashamed.

"How much did you get, Alice?" asked Bella at dinner, craning over to see her results. Alice didn't reply. They were sitting together as usual, but the unusual thing was that it was Halloween. Plates of pudding, pumpkin pie, turkey were in front of them. They were early, so there were still people coming into the Great Hall.

"Cheer up," Emmett boomed, "I only got forty!"

Alice grabbed her bag and ran out of the hall, tripping once or twice over her robes. What was wrong with her? She didn't pay attention to where she was going; only that she wanted to get away and cry for the time being…

She blinked. She recognized the part of the castle as the dungeons, but whereabouts in the dungeons, she couldn't tell. There was a toilet nearby. Alice went into it and closed the door, sobbing her eyes out.

After a few hours, she woke up on the cold, wet floor of the bathroom. There was a terrible stench; it was worse than dirty socks and public toilets. She held her nose and went to the door, but quickly flinched back when she saw what was waiting for her outside.

A humongous troll was looming back down at her. She tried not to scream, but a tiny squeak escaped from her. The troll saw that she was alive and tried to hit her, smashing several walls in the process. Alice screamed out aloud from under the sink. She was going to die—she knew it…

Then a red jet of light hit the troll's head. It blinked stupidly, stunned. Another hit the troll's (um, weaker bit) and the troll howled in agony, trying to see what was hurting it so much. A third hit it in the eye and it began to sway on the spot. Alice's eyes widened in horror as she realized that it was going to fall right on top of the sinks and onto her.

Then a hand grabbed her at the last moment and pulled her out from under the sinks just as the troll's head connected with the sink. There was an earth-shuddering crash, and the floor trembled.

"Alice? Are you all right?" a hoarse, familiar voice asked her. She looked up to see Jasper's tired face looking at her with worry,

"I'm fine," Alice replied. Jasper let out a sigh of relief and collapsed onto the floor. Alice was instantly alert.

"Are _you_ alright?" she questioned Jasper, who leant against the wall, panting.

"Yeah. I just didn't expect _that_ to work," he admitted.

"What?"

"_Stupefy._" He smiled.

"Where did you get that?" Alice was once more curious.

"Books." He laughed faintly. Alice noticed that his shoulder was bleeding; one of the flying bricks must have hit him. Or was it the splinters of glass from the mirror? "Here, let me help you wash that," she said, not knowing what to do. She began to pull off his robe, but kept her hand away from the silver S. He began to pull back his sleeves, revealing bloody arms. Alice winced.

"Ouch."

"Actually, it doesn't hurt this much," he said, cleaning blood from the wound. He undid his tie and began to use it for a bandage. As he pulled the tie away, his neck became exposed to Alice, and she could see scars criss crossing his throat. He noticed where she was looking and hastily covered it.

"Why weren't you at the feast?" Alice inquired, changing the subject.

"Trolls are hardly quiet, and the feast has ended." Jasper's blue eyes bore into hers, "Hermione Granger got attacked by another troll upstairs."

"Hermione? Is she alright?"

"Five points from Gryffindor but five each for Ron Weasley and Harry Potter," Jasper teased.

Alice sighed. "There seems to be a lot of trolls around lately."

"Yes."

There were sudden footsteps as Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape and Quirrel ran into the bathroom. "Ms. Brandon!" McGonagall said faintly, taking in the even more interesting sight than upstairs: a perfectly alright Gryffindor girl leaning over an injured Slytherin boy in a wrecked girls' bathroom and a knocked troll behind them. Alice swore that she saw Dumbledore hide a smile.

"Another troll, headmaster." Snape was livid. He was looking at Quirrel in an odd way.

"Yes, professor," Dumbledore was still smiling, "trolls seem to be in the party today."

"Get back to the common room," Snape strode forward and yanked Jasper up by the front of his robes, dragging him out of the bathroom. Professor McGonagall looked at Alice.

"You'd better get back to Gryffindor tower, Ms. Brandon." Alice left reluctantly, feeling the eyes of everyone else bore into her back.

The rest of the house was in an uproar, but nobody seemed to notice Alice. After all, Harry Potter was a lot more gossip than she was, thought Alice as she cleaned herself and got into bed.

---

"We want to hear everything, Alice."

Alice was trapped between her friends at breakfast the next day. Somehow, word had got out that she had been attacked by a troll straight after Hermione. She was now, too, in the centre of attention. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jasper come into the hall, silent and unnoticed.

"Um, I really want to eat," she said, trying to find her spoon. She saw Bella with it, scowled and escaped once more.

She was on the way to go back to bed (it was Saturday) when she heard the teachers again.

"…two trolls are no coincidence, professor."

"Professor McGonagall, I have the same thoughts. It is the second troll, however, that really gets me. How did it sneak in?"

"I'm sure that our professor Quirrel has an explanation for that."

"I want to know what Whitlock was doing with Brandon down there alone," said professor McGonagall.

"I'm sure we all do. The troll had been knocked out with a stunning charm, professor, and I don't think that any one of them could do that. They_ are_ first years, after all." Snape was insulting.

Alice ran away before they could see her. So there was something going on. Quirrel was behind it. She wondered what.

"Alice?"

She turned and saw _him_. "Oh, hello."

"You didn't get in trouble, did you?"

"Of course not. No one gets _me_ in trouble. And don't talk for my benefit."

"I'm not. I just wanted to see if you were okay." He looked away, blushing.

"Alice?"

Alice groaned silently. "Yes, Bella?"

Bella was looking at Jasper, then back at Alice. "What's going on here?"

"Um, nothing." Alice looked down at her feet. Then Rosalie came along.

"What are you doing here?" she hissed at Jasper. He looked furious.

"Nothing." He turned to go, but Rosalie grabbed him.

"The seventh floor is off limits to you, Slytherin."

Anger flitted across Jasper's face. "If this is your so called bravery Gryffindor has been so well known as, then I don't think much of it," he hissed. Alice flinched at how much his voice resembled a snake.

Emmett stepped forward, cracking his knuckles.

"Take that back, you…you…"

"What?" Jasper stood his ground, "what were you going to say, _oaf?_"

Emmett's face was surprised. "How do you know?"

Edward stepped forward, but then Malfoy arrived, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle, as usual.

"Well, well, well," he drawled, "look here, guys. Pixy, Emo Kid—"

"No one asked for your opinion," snapped Bella.

Malfoy smiled. "Hale? It's rather surprising to see that you're related to him. Or are you?" He looked at Jasper.

"No, we're not related," Jasper said, his eyes cold. He turned and stalked down the corridor with Malfoy. Alice caught a last parting remark.

"You'd want to keep away from them. I still can't believe that I thought you were related to a pighead."

Rosalie was instantly on top of Malfoy. "Take that, you monster!" she yelled.

Crabbe and Goyle dragged her off, but then Emmett and Edward joined in the fight. Bella clutched at Alice's hand. Then there was a sudden blinding light, then both Emmett and Edward were on the ground, still and unmoving. Malfoy got up and nodded his thanks to Jasper, who had his wand out.

"Nice one, Whitlock." He stomped on Emmett and Edward's faces.

"Hey! No magic in the corridors!" it was Percy Weasley.

"Of course not, Weasel," smirked Malfoy before going away.

Bella was hysterical. "They are _monsters_," she sobbed, "what has Jasper done?"

"Nothing bad, I hope," said Rosalie, who had a bleeding nose.

"No, it's just a full-body bind curse. Who did it?" Percy removed the curse.

"Whitlock," said Rosalie instantly.

"Whitlock? Not that freak?"

"Yes," said Bella.

"I will kill Malfoy the next time I see him" muttered Edward.

"Me too," said Emmett.

"What did he know?" asked Alice, remembering suddenly.

"What?" Emmett went red.

"When he called you an oaf." Bella remembered, too.

"Um, nothing!" Emmett now blushing.

"Well?" demanded Rosalie.

"Do you promise not to tell anyone?" Emmett pleaded them.

"Is it that bad?" Edward asked, frowning.

"All right…I don't suppose that any harm will come of it…I'm a half giant."

**AN**

**To most people who have read my other stories, remember what happens to a story when people only read and don't review?**

***This is not a threat. It is a fact***

**Please REVIEW!!!**


	5. Espionage

**Espionage**

"Half giant?" said Edward faintly.

Emmett nodded. Rosalie smiled, much to Alice's surprise.

"I love giants!" she threw her arms around Emmett's neck.

"But how?" asked Alice.

"Well…okay," said Emmett, "this is a story for another day. But I have to find Jasper first."

Rosalie scowled. "For what?"

"He might tell," said Emmett. But somehow, from the letter that Rosalie had received, Alice had a feeling that Jasper was very good at keeping secrets.

They found Jasper in the library, alone. When they arrived, he merely nodded at them once as an invitation to sit beside him. He pulled out a piece of parchment.

_How are we today?_ Alice found herself lost in the beautiful, flowing script.

"How much have you told Malfoy?" hissed Emmett, catching him in a headlock.

Jasper looked surprised, but only for a second. _What are you talking about?_

"You bloody know what we're talking about," Edward snarled.

_You mean what you are? I have not said anything._ He smiled and pointed to his throat, indicating that he couldn't say anything.

"How much does Malfoy know?" Emmett nearly shouted in frustration. A few students looked around in annoyance.

_I told you. He knows nothing. Why should I tell him something like that?_

Emmett was at a loss for words. Alice's eyes travelled to what he was reading, and was surprised to see that it was titled _The Monster Book of Monsters._

"What are you reading that for?" she asked, noticing that the book was shivering slightly. He smiled at her._ As curious as ever, aren't we?_ Alice scowled. Jasper, however, wasn't paying attention to her. He was looking at Rosalie, who was avoiding his gaze, as usual. Then he spoke.

"Rosalie?"

Rosalie forced herself to look at him. "What?"

He handed her a piece of neatly rolled up parchment, and then turned back to the book. They left the library together.

"What does it say?" Bella asked immediately.

Rosalie frowned as she read it. Alice started to read over her shoulder.

_**Rosalie:**_

_**I'm sorry I'm not speaking to you directly, but I can't, after what I did today earlier on. But I know that avoiding the problem isn't the way to solve it.**_

_**I have no idea why the Sorting Hat put me in Slytherin. If it's because of that you hate me for, then I don't know how to repair our relationship. But I'd like to apologize for my attitude towards you lately. I know I've been absolutely ghastly to you, and towards Bella, Alice, Edward and Emmett as well. It's no excuse, but I hated you for hating me because I'm in Slytherin. I'm sorry. Will you forgive me?**_

_**PS: if you don't accept my apology, then can you at least tell the others? And tell Emmett that he doesn't have to worry about me telling anyone, Malfoy least of all.**_

"Rosalie?"

Alice looked up to see Rosalie's face in a mask of tears. Then she turned and ran back towards the library. Edward shrugged.

"A nice little reunion."

---

Rosalie spent the rest of the weekend crying under the covers. When she finally resurfaced on Monday morning, her eyes were red and she looked like she hadn't slept

But above all, everything seemed to be better than it was. For one thing, Jasper no longer ignored them; on the contrary, he often helped them in the evening, when Professors Snape or McGonagall's homework became too unbearable to complete by themselves. This was an improvement for Alice; now, they finally had time to complete other things.

Hermione was now friends with Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley. Harry's reputation grew after they bet Slytherin in the latest Quidditch match. It wasn't that Alice didn't like Harry, but after a month of having Harry's admirers crowded around the breakfast, fan girls talking about him in the girl's dormitory, she thought that she had just about enough.

One evening, Alice decided to bring the subject up to Harry. They were studying Potions in the library. Actually, it seemed more like extra study with the Slytherins, because Snape had forced them all to be there. Bella and the others were forced to sit away from Alice.

"Do you know that Penelope Clearwater has a photo of you under her pillow?" Alice said to Harry. Harry sighed and Ron chuckled. Alice wondered why Percy Weasley's neck became redder, like his younger brother's ears whenever he felt embarrassed.

Harry chucked a quill at them, "hush, Snape's coming…"

Snape was indeed there. He glared at them before continuing to inspect on Edward and Emmett.

"You know what?" Ron said, "I think that—"

Harry glared at Ron and he fell silent.

"Well?" said Alice.

"Nothing."

Alice frowned. "I can keep secrets," she insisted.

"She can," said Hermione, appearing out of nowhere. Ron jumped in surprise. Hermione smiled in a knowing way and said:

"We think that Snape is trying to steal the sorcerer's stone."

Alice looked at her blankly. "Who's stone?"

Hermione rolled her eyes as Ron chuckled. "The _sorcerer's_ stone, Alice."

"Haven't heard of him or her." Alice shrugged.

Just then, Snape passed and told Ron off for not sitting up. As he passed, Ron cursed Snape in an undertone that was too loud. Alice held her breath as Snape advanced on Ron.

"What did you say, Weasley?"

Alice covered her ears.

"_**YOU WILL NOT INSULT MY PUBLICLY, WEASLEY! YOU AND YOUR PUNNY LITTLE FRIENDS—"**_

Alice cringed as Snape's voice hit her like a thousand drums. Across the room, she saw Crabbe and Goyle laughing their stupid heads off, guffawing like two pigs. Beside both of them, Jasper and Malfoy had their heads together about something. Malfoy seemed furious about something. The two of them began to leave the room, still arguing. Crabbe and Goyle stayed.

When Snape finally left (but not before giving Ron detention), Alice turned back to Hermione.

"What did you say about the sorcerer's stone?"

"It's a stone that turns metal to gold and gives you long life," said Hermione, "Harry's convinced that it was the stone that he and Hagrid went to get."

"Wait," said Alice, "why are you telling me this?"

"Because," said Ron, "we think that Snape's after it. And in case you haven't noticed, Alice, we're not Slytherins; we're Gryffindors, the last people that are able to spy on Snape."

"So why tell me?" demanded Alice.

"Well," said Harry, "actually, it was Hermione's idea. We needed to get close to someone Snape adores."

"So go and be friends with Malfoy!" Alice giggled.

Harry looked horrified. "Are you kidding? No, Alice, we can't get Malfoy, so it'll have to be someone who's close to Malfoy, someone he trusts so that he'll suspect nothing."

"Nice try," snickered Alice, "but really, you've come to the wrong person."

Ron looked at her. "No, we haven't." they began to gather their books and walked out of the library, still talking, "in case you haven't noticed, Alice, Crabbe and Goyle are not the only ones Malfoy likes to be with."

Alice stiffened. "Him?" she didn't need to specify who.

Hermione nodded. "Yes."

"Go talk with him, then," Alice shivered, remembering how their last meeting had gone.

"Sadly enough, Alice, we can't." Harry looked at Alice, "we can't even go near him without earning a deadly glare from him. He isn't as ignorant and proud as Malfoy, and he doesn't swagger, either; he's just really hard to get near to. We can't even touch him without getting attacked with that weird thing he did with Edward and Emmett, remember?"

"It's called—" Hermione started to say.

"Before you launch into some complicated explanation of all that," interrupted Ron…

"Which is where _you_ come in," said Hermione.

Alice gaped at them. "You must be joking! And he's not at all like that!" she stammered.

"No, we're not," said Ron, a silly expression coming over him, "we've seen the way he always talks to you, Alice. When he talks to _us_, it's always the cold one, but when you're near him, well, he's got a soft spot for you, and that much is obvious."

"If only you'd try to be friends with him," scoffed Alice, "just because he's in Slytherin doesn't mean that we can't be friends."

Hermione frowned. "Friends?"

Alice nodded fiercely. "Friends."

"Then that makes it easier than ever," Ron grinned, "just think about it as…a way to save the world."

Alice turned her back to them. "You are hypocrites," she scoffed.

"No, we're not. Please, Alice?"

Alice stared at the three of them. "I feel like James Bond, that muggle spy."

**AN**

**A pretty short chapter, but school's starting next week, so there will be less updates, but longer chapters.**

**Please REVIEW!!!**


	6. Snowflakes

**Snowflakes**

But being a spy was harder than Alice had imagined. The first person to notice that she was touchy was Bella, as soon as she got into bed.

"Are you all right, Alice?" she asked worriedly, "you're looking a little overexcited."

Alice jumped at her voice. Behind Bella, she could see Hermione roll her eyes. "Uh, nothing."

Rosalie narrowed her eyes. "Really, Alice?"

Alice looked at Hermione pleadingly, who shook her head firmly. She shivered.

"Yeah," she said, "I'm fine."

-

Madam Pince scowled at them as they entered the library. So far, Alice hadn't asked Jasper anything yet, because she was sure that he'd see through the plan. However, seeing him now made the whole thing seem easier than it had seemed. As they sat down at their usual spots in the corner one snowy Friday afternoon, Alice tugged on Jasper's sleeve and mentioned for him to follow her out of the library. Jasper just shrugged and hitched up his bag once more before following her. Bella shot both of them a puzzled expression, but didn't say anything.

"What is it, Alice?" frowned Jasper when they were outside.

Alice took a deep breath. "What do you know about Snape?" shoot, she'd stuffed up the whole thing already, and she hadn't even started. Jasper was instantly alert—and puzzled.

"What do you mean?"

"Well—I was wondering, you know, what Snape does in the evenings," Alice lied quickly. Jasper's expression changed.

"I don't spend my evenings with Professor Snape, Alice, Malfoy does."

"But do you think that you could ask Malfoy for me?" pleaded Alice. She knew that puppy dog eyes usually worked on boys.

It didn't work for him, because at that point, Harry and the other came by. "Harry asked you to do this, didn't he?"

Alice gasped. "How did you know?"

"Occlumency," said Jasper, frowning Harry as he passed.

Alice wasn't stupid. "You can do occlumency?" she gasped.

"No, I can't." he was still looking at Harry.

"Then how did you know?"

Jasper turned his attention back to her. "Logic. But anyway, yes, I'll ask Malfoy, if it isn't the last thing I do." He smiled suddenly, and Alice sensed relief.

"So," she said, trying to start a conversation, "how are you lately?"

"Fine. And you?"

Alice blushed for no reason. "Same here. Are you going home for the Christmas holidays?"

"Hasn't Rosalie said anything?" he asked.

"Haven't asked."

"Anything to get away from this place," he smiled, "I suppose you know about Snowy and the Seasons?"

"I do," said Alice, "Rosalie's going to get Summer, isn't she?"

"Yes. And how about you?"

"I'm staying," Alice said, a little too sadly.

"Sorry," there was a short pause. "Typical of my parents, naming kittens after the season," Jasper stared out of the window absentmindedly, "and I get to have one called Winter." He laughed.

"How's that funny?" Alice didn't get it.

"You'll see." He started to play with the little snowflakes falling gently past the window. Alice giggled and stuck out her tongue, trying to catch one on it. She did succeed, but the shock of it frightened her so much she stepped back with a yelp. Jasper laughed and pulled out his wand and waved it, causing all the flakes to swirl around Alice. Alice laughed and tried to catch them, knowing that she couldn't. The snowflakes continued to swirl around her in circles. Seconds later, her hair was wet.

"I love this!" she laughed after a while. The whole corridor was deserted. Outside, it was beginning to darken. The snowflakes stopped trying to dance as Jasper put his wand away, and the both of them looked out of the window once more.

"I wish…" Alice looked down and blushed.

"Yes?"

"I wish that it was always so peaceful," she said hastily. Then she began to shiver, as her clothes were soaked. Jasper pulled out his wand once more and preformed a spell that made her feel as if she had been sitting by the heater all along.

"How much do you know?" she asked.

"Not a lot," he replied, gazing into the sky, "still al lot to learn." Alice wondered how much that really was.

"I saw you the other day," she said cautiously, "the day that Snape shouted at Ron in the library…" she wondered whether or not she should go on.

"What about him?" still not angry.

"You were arguing about something," she said, "what was it?"

Jasper frowned once more. "He wanted to cheat in the end of year exams," he said in a disapproving voice.

"What?" Alice couldn't believe that anyone could be possibly so evil.

"Yeah…he wanted to copy off mine, but I wouldn't' let him." Something in his voice told Alice that he wasn't telling the entire truth.

"What a cheat," muttered Alice, "well, Harry and Ron always copy Hermione's notes, after they became friends. Now they're after something called the sorcerer's stone, whatever it is, and they think that Snape's after it and—" then she gasped when she realized what she just said.

The ends of Jasper's mouth twitched. "So that's what you're on about, is it?" he seemed to find the affair amusing, "interesting…they do have something up their sleeves," he muttered to himself.

"Oh, no!" Alice hung her head.

"Was I not meant to know?" Jasper teased. Alice nodded. He smiled.

"Then don't worry. I know nothing," he drew a finger across his lips, as to say that he wouldn't say a word, "though a memory charm might suit you better here."

"Perhaps, Whitlock," said a voice that Alice knew and hated so much, "but perhaps you are keeping your…girlfriend from dinner?"

"Sorry, sir," Jasper lowed his head. Snape looked at Alice. His black eyes seemed to penetrate her.

"Is this window so appealing to you?" he asked. Alice seethed silently.

"What are the two of you doing?" asked Professor McGonagall, who happened to be passing by at that moment. Alice groaned inwardly.

"I have just caught these two in a romantic scene while they should have been having dinner downstairs. I was merely wondering what on earth could attract them so much," said Snape smoothly.

"Actually, you'll find that there are lots of things that will seem interesting to you here," said a different voice. Alice's heart leapt. It was Dumbledore.

"I myself was lost when gazing out of this very peculiar window," said Dumbledore, coming out from the shadows, "and Severus, Minerva, I recommend you to do so as well. It is very…_reflective._"

Alice had no idea what Dumbledore was talking about, but it didn't seem like she was going to receive detention.

"…and, of course, one will always find just more than the view here. Well, Mr. Whitlock, Ms. Brandon, let's all go down and enjoy our wonderful dinner with our friends, shall we? It's very nice to see our two houses finally talking to each other in a friendly and civilized manner. I have to say, not even Harry Potter has done so…"

-

"Well?" asked Hermione.

Alice looked around. The Gryffindor common room was deserted, except for the four of them. "I managed to ask him to spy on Malfoy for information on Snape," she said.

"Excellent," said Hermione happily, "nice job, Alice. Now—" she was broken off by a loud knocking from the window. Alice recognized it as Jasper's owl.

"What's it doing here?" hissed Ron as Alice went to open the window.

"Don't know," Alice retrieved the letter from the owl.

_**Alice:**_

_**I managed to get the answer out of Malfoy. Snape's been tracking Professor Quirrel all throughout this term.**_

_**Need I ask any more?**_

_**And the owl's name is Winter, like Snowy's kitten. If you don't call him Winter and something cute instead, he'll bite you.**_

Alice fought back a giggle as she read the last part of the letter and heard Ron saying: "here, little owl, cutie pie, little cabbage, sugar muffin—OW!"

**AN**

**Does anyone know the consequences of buying water-washable makeup? I got this new information today, and it's pretty shocking. If you know, then answer it in a review. And don't freak out when I tell you in the next chapter.**

**And a lot of people have been asking if I'll write about all seven years. Well, I'm opening a poll. Go to vote.**

**Please REVIEW!!!**


	7. Christmas

**Christmas**

Christmas came in a flurry of bizarre snowstorms; winters now became so cold that all they wanted to do was to huddle in bed all day. Sadly, the teachers had different ideas for them.

"It is relevant that you study during the Christmas holidays," said Professor McGonagall, "so that you do not forget what you have learnt this term."

"But the exams are ages away," groaned Ron. This statement was agreed with much enthusiasm.

"Mr. Weasley, if you are sure that you will achieve above average, I may consider reducing your homework…"

Snape was no better. It was bad enough having to go down to the dungeons; it was freezing, let alone having Snape breathing down on their necks. Alice found herself secretly marvelling how the Slytherins could possibly stand the cold.

On the other hand, Harry figured that they had a tail on Snape. Alice didn't think that Snape was guilty of anything, despite being extremely unpleasant. Alice suspected Quirrel, who was now even paler than ever, his turban always on his head.

"I think that he hides something in that thing," Alice whispered to Bella one day at breakfast. Bella, at this point, however, was too busying admiring her reflection on the back of her spoon. Rosalie wouldn't hear of it; she admired Quirrel too much and frequently told people off for laughing at his stutter. She was furious at Alice when she said that there must be something under the turban. Emmett and Edward both fell over laughing when they both heard her theory.

"What could be under there, Alice?" laughed Edward, "You-Know-Who?"

"Of course not," Alice reddened.

Only Jasper would listen without scoffing at her. When she first told him about her suspicion, her had merely listened quietly while she poured everything out to him. She found that it was easier to talk to him; partly because he hardly talked at all and also because he never laughed at her.

However, Christmas found Alice alone at Hogwarts, with only Harry and Ron for company, and boys weren't very interesting at all. One particularly lonely night, Alice decided to break a few rules by sneaking out into the corridors. She was aware of how lonely the whole castle felt, especially with the long, silent halls and empty classrooms. Somehow, she found herself outside the library, right where she had talked to Jasper only a few weeks ago. She suddenly remembered what Dumbledore had said the window was: he had said that it was very…_reflective._ She decided to look out of it once more.

The first thing she noticed about the window was that, unlike other windows, it had glass in it, something that she hadn't noticed before. But then she realized that the glass had been put there only very recently; otherwise, how could Jasper have made the snowflakes come in? And then second and most idiotic thing was that she saw herself in it.

It was a mirror.

Frowning, she peered into it. The mirror seemed plain enough; how could she have not noticed it before? Then what she saw next shocked her even more.

The mirror began to dim. Alice squinted into its murky depths; there was simply nothing too see. Then a small light appeared. Slowly, Alice found herself gazing at an image of a field where Rosalie, Bella and herself were mounting on broomsticks. But they all looked slightly different; they were all taller, and had longer hair. She wanted to reach out to them, but her fingers met glass. She could only watch as they all flew into the air. And then Bella suddenly lost control and came straight back to earth, falling from her broom…

And the vision changed. Edward was there, curled up in a tiny corner. Like Bella, he was taller and more older-looking, but Alice still recognized the curious, bronze hair. He seemed to be in pain; he was whimpering and his hands were clenched into hard fists. Alice wanted to run to him and ask him what was wrong, but she knew that it was only an image. She watched him grit his teeth and gasp out loud…there was something wrong with him…he threw his head back and uttered a heart-breaking yell that didn't seem quite normal…

The vision changed again. This time, she was looking into the Great Hall, only now there were decorations all about. People were dancing, twirling gracefully across the floor. There were several people she didn't recognize. Then she gasped as she saw Rosalie dancing with Emmett. Rosalie was beyond relief; her black satin dress was no match for her face, which was prettier than any that she had seen so far. Emmett, if possible, was even taller and bigger than Alice had ever seen him…

And the vision changed yet again. Jasper stood in front of her, but he was not looking at Alice, but at a wall that was covered with carvings of snakes. She didn't know where the vision was, but it seemed to be underground. He was not as old as the others had been, but he was visibly taller. He was saying something, but Alice couldn't hear him, only that it sounded like the hissing of snakes. But that might have been because the whole floor was crawling with them. Alice choked back a horrified scream as a serpent loomed up behind an oblivious Jasper…

And then the image changed. This time, she was looking into a different place, a dark cell. There was a man trying to open the window. Alice saw his face clearly. He looked familiar, although she couldn't tell.

Now, there were people everywhere. But the people were fighting: shooting spells at each other. Alice saw many people lying both dead and alive on the ground. There was blood everywhere. She wanted to tear her eyes away from the horrific sight, but found that she was frozen to the spot.

Then a man, an evil-looking man with snake-like nostrils and red eyes came out of nowhere. He was disgusting to look at. Alice stared in horror and shock as the man raised his wand, and a brilliant light filled the room. And then Alice saw Emmett, fighting with a huge wolf—was it a werewolf?—he was shouting something—why didn't he kill the wolf? And Rosalie was there as well, locked in a one to one combat with a masked man. Alice shivered when she recognized the masked people as death eaters, as her parents had often described.

The snake man laughed and began to speak. And Alice saw herself—frightened looking and shooting a red spell at a death eater. Bella was right behind her, being attacked by another death eater. So that could only mean that the snake man was Voldemort himself. Alice let out a tiny gasp of horror. Where were Edward and Jasper?

Then Dumbledore was there, falling, in slow motion, lifeless and limp…where was he falling to?

The mirror cleared once more, and Alice drew back. But—

"It's very curious, how you're able to use the mirror," said Dumbledore, coming out from the shadows. Alice's stomach knotted uncomfortably. But Dumbledore was smiling.

"I—I didn't see you, sir," she stammered.

"The Mirror of The Erutuf," murmured Dumbledore, "it is indeed a strange thing, Ms. Brandon. The Mirror of the Erutuf shows itself only to those who it chooses. To be able to see it is a great gift, Alice."

"But what does it do?" asked Alice.

"Ah. So you have not noticed. One thing that could be useful to you, Alice, is to think our questions over before asking them. Your friend Jasper is very good at that sort of thing, and with an ounce of logic, you'd find a lot of answers to life's questions. Erutuf is the backward spelling of future."

"So, it shows the future?"

"Exactly. I will not ask you what you saw, for that is for you and only."

"But I didn't understand all of it," said Alice.

"I don't suppose that you did. The Mirror of Erutuf gives the seer more questions than before," Dumbledore looked at Alice kindly, "I must ask you not to seek for the mirror in the future, however. It is not worth so much to ponder over. Anyway, the future is never set in stone. And now, Alice, I think that we shall go back to bed, shall we?"

---

"You were caught by _Dumbledore?_"

Alice nodded. Rosalie and Bella looked stricken. The Christmas holidays had ended. Much too quickly for Alice, it seemed. Bella and Rosalie had only just got back.

"Oh, sorry, Alice, I didn't give you a present!" Rosalie began to dig around in her bag. Alice wondered why Bella had suddenly fallen over laughing. Then Rosalie grinned and out of the bag came—

"KITTY!!!" shouted Alice. The kitten was white all over, with a splash of black on its body. Alice instantly cuddled it up in her arms, "What's it called? Is it a he or a she?"

"It's a she," said Rosalie, "and as for her name, it's entirely up to you. She was originally called Winter, but my mother figures that you could do with her. It's the only one left; my cousins took away Spring and Autumn, and Summer is mine."

"I thought that Winter was Jasper's?" Alice frowned, still cuddling the kitten.

"Yeah, but the younger one has to listen to their older siblings." Rosalie smiled unpleasantly. Alice fought back a shiver as she wondered what Rosalie could have possibly done.

"So…you saw me falling off a broomstick," said Bella, "don't worry, I will NOT get on one for life. I'm terrified of them."

"And Rosalie dancing with Emmett," reminded Alice.

"Yes. Well, Alice, I don't know—"

"HELLO!" boomed Emmett. He and Edward walked in.

"Had a nice holiday?" Edward asked.

"Very!" Bella launched into an exciting tale of snow fights…Rosalie and Alice listened with disinterest, but Edward was hooked. Emmett laughed at their expressions.

"Wizard Chess, anyone?"

"Ooh, me!" shouted Rosalie. Alice sighed and looked out of the window, thinking…

---

They had been given the task of making shrinking potions in potion class. For Alice, it was the worst way to start a term.

"But—but sir," stammered Hermione, when they had been given the task, "isn't that supposed to be for third years?"

"You will not tell me what to do!" Snape had snapped at her, taking five points from Gryffindor in the process.

Now, Alice just stared at the complicated potion and turned to her shrivelfigs, eyeing them with disgust. Was she supposed to skin that? She was just about to add two spleens in and a little leech juice. In the end, it turned quite orange.

Snape turned his nose at her. "Orange, Ms. Brandon? I think we will start again." He waved his want, and the contents of her cauldron disappeared. Alice stared at the floor, her eyes filling with tears. Malfoy's taunts didn't help.

"Ha, orange for Brandon!"

Alice longed to chuck a firework at Malfoy's stupid gloating face.

"…why don't you help her, Mr. Whitlock? After all, don't you have a soft spot for Gryffindors?"

Alice raised her eyes just enough to see Snape dragging Jasper from the other side of the room, away from Malfoy. He pushed Jasper roughly into the empty seat beside Alice. "Go on, help her out. After all, haven't you already finished?" he strode away.

Jasper sat himself properly and rubbed his shoulder where Snape had pinched him. "Hi."

Alice nodded back. "Hello. Nice holidays?"

"Turned out to be worst than expected…" he started to instruct her on her potion. When she proceeded to add two spleens, he stopped her and reminded that only one spleen was required. By the end of the lesson, Alice had a cauldron of shrinking potion. There was no denying Snape's disappointed expression.

"So, what did you do?" she asked as they began to pack up.

"The usual…" he shrugged, "did you like Winter?"

"Ooh, yes!" she gushed, "she's so cute!" there was something about Jasper that didn't seem quite right…his smile was strained and unnatural, and his laugh was hollow as Emmett chucked a daisy root at Malfoy.

Snape called them all to attention. "This," he said, indicating to a small, black bottle, "is—"

There was a sudden boom. Neville's wand slipped, and Jasper's cauldron of forgotten shrinking potion exploded, drenching everyone in the room with shrinking potion. Alice didn't get hit, but Malfoy and most of the Slytherins got a face full of the stuff. Needless to say, Jasper's potion was unfortunately successful, not to mention incredibly strong. Instantly, people started shrinking on the spot. Alice held back a fit of laughter as a crowd of babies crawled around the room, sobbing their little hearts out. But something didn't seem quite right…Snape had said that the potion was only strong enough to turn a man into a teenager…babies were far too young…

When the mayhem had been cleared up, Snape approached Jasper. The whole class held their breath, waiting.

"How many spleens did you add, Mr. Whitlock?"

"One, sir."

"How many pints of leech juice?"

"Three, sir."

"Fool!" shouted Snape, "only one was required! Two will make it far too strong! I have never added more than three pints of leech juice in any sort of potion, boy! And I suppose that was how much you told Ms. Brandon to add?"

And then Ron had the nerve to tip over Alice's cauldron.

**AN**

**The answer to the previous question: if you use easy-to-wash makeup, you will get Hydrochloric Acid and Bismuth Oxychloride. In other words, Hydrochloric Acid is the stuff that people use to clean their toilets.**

**Please REVIEW!!!**


	8. End of Year 1: Homeward Bound

**Homeward Bound**

Strangely enough, Alice did not get detention. Jasper received the full blame, and of course Snape did not take any points from Gryffindor or Slytherin, but gave Jasper _triple_ detention.

"I didn't know that triple detention was allowed," Bella said, the day after the crisis. Malfoy, for once, was not bothering them; the second wave of shrinking potion had him _gone._ There was no saying how long it would be until he reappeared.

"It is," said Edward, smirking. Emmett just laughed his booming laugh.

---

"Got it," said Hermione.

"What?" asked Alice absentmindedly.

"I mean, we've got what this is all about," Ron said. They were now in the common room. Everyone else was in bed; Harry and Hermione had just finished doing their detention with Hagrid.

"Okay," said Harry, pacing up and down, "here's my explanation: Voldemort—"

Alice winced. Ron looked furious. Both Harry and Hermione ignored them.

"—is out there, but he's weak. He needs the sorcerer's stone in order to restore himself. But he can't just barge into Hogwarts, there are spells all around here, so he has his faithful servant Snape to steal it." He looked at them all.

"Well…" said Alice, "that's very…logical." Ron laughed out loud, along with Hermione. Harry looked at them all.

"And also: every teacher in the school has contributed something to help guard the stone."

"Pretty easy for him," grumbled Ron.

"It's a disadvantage for us," said Harry.

"Why?" Alice frowned.

"It's our job to stop him."

---

Malfoy came back soon, during the Easter holidays. Apart from being furious that a whole lot of Gryffindors had seen him as a baby, he was now taunting and making fun of them, and spent long hours talking and gloating about what his father would do to Jasper.

"My father reckons that he should be expelled," said Malfoy one day in the library loudly enough for Alice to hear, "making such dangerous things…"

"If anyone should be ordered away from school, it's Snape," hissed Alice, standing on her stool. Madam Pince was not in the library, but everyone stared at her.

"Oh?" Malfoy's face was furious, "in case you haven't noticed, Brandon…"

Alice had pulled out her wand. She realized only now what a stupid thing this was; she didn't know any safe spells, and the ones that she did know were too dangerous. Malfoy laughed.

"You want to duel?" he, too, stood on his chair. He raised his wand.

"STUPEFY!" Alice yelled. A red jet of light erupted from her wand and hit Malfoy square in the chest. Malfoy's eyes rolled up to his head, and he fell backwards with a crash.

---

"So…you stupefied Malfoy?"

Alice nodded grimly as she started to wipe the dust off a shiny school award, "yeah, he provoked me." She grinned. "You taught me that one, remember?"

Jasper just sighed. For some reason, he was looking unhappier these days. But then, no one is happy when they receive detention. Alice had been given detention for attacking a fellow student, and Jasper was on his second detention from Snape. Alice frowned.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Jasper avoided her eyes.

"Yes, there is. Tell me."

Jasper sighed again. "_Stupefy_ is a very dangerous spell."

"What?"

"Malfoy could've been killed, especially when you hit him in the chest at that close distance. And only fourth year students and above should know how to use it."

Alice frowned. "But you used it on the troll."

"I told you, even _I_ didn't expect it to work. Just don't do it again."

The rest of the detention was spent in utter silence. Alice was disinterested as she wiped a huge trophy that said "Tom Marvolo Riddle" for special services to the school. Then an old trophy caught her eye.

"Jasper, I think I found someone that's related to you…" she tossed it over to him. His eyes scanned it briefly, and he tossed it back to her. _Awarded to__** John Whitlock**__, 1945, for special services to the school._ "That name sounds familiar," said Alice thoughtfully, although she couldn't understand why,

"Of course. You've just been polishing it for ten minutes." His voice was colder now. Alice wondered what had offended him so much.

---

Alice cheered along with the others as she rolled up her history paper and handed it in to Professor Binns. The exams were over, play was ahead…what was there to stop the happy feeling in her chest?

The answer was waiting for her. Hermione and the others rushed over.

"Alice, listen, Dumbledore's just left for London, and Snape's going for the stone!"

Alice's stomach dropped. "Tonight?"

"Yes."

"You can go alone. I'm not coming."

"Alice, we need you."

"Yeah," chimed in Ron, "especially after what you did to Malfoy."

Alice was sick of the number of people congratulating her for cursing Malfoy. "I got the spell from someone else," she repeated for the thousandth time.

"But you know it. Come one, Alice…"

Alice looked over her shoulder at Bella, Emmett, Edward and Rosalie, who were arm in arm, laughing and talking together. Well, they wouldn't miss her.

"OK."

"But first," said Ron, "Alice, I think that we need your help. We think that Jasper knows something…"

"Why? Whatever made you think like that?"

"Because I just thought of something. Remember when you told us that you let it slip to him that we were after the sorcerer's stone?"

"So?"

"You said that he didn't ask any questions, and that he said 'interesting…so they do have something up their sleeves.' What did he exactly mean? And not many people know what the sorcerer's stone is."

"Oh, fine," said Alice, remembering Jasper and her last conversation and shuddering, "I'll ask."

---

Just as Hermione had predicted, she found Jasper in the library. He was the only one there, behind several bookshelves, but he was asleep. The open book that lay in front of him was littered with spells and incantations.

Alice went over to him and shook him gently.

"Jasper, wake up." He awoke with a start.

"Alice? What are you doing here?" he started gathering his books wildly, upsetting his ink bottle in the process. Alice jumped out of the way, but he waved his wand once and everything was cleared up.

"Jasper, I need you to tell me something," she said.

"What?" his tone was not friendly, "if it's to—"

"It's nothing like that," she said quickly.

"Then what? Please, Alice, I'm in a hurry."

"What's guarding the sorcerer's stone?" demanded Alice. Jasper was so surprised, he dropped his ink bottle, shattering it so that the whole table became black once more.

"The sorcerer's stone?" he said slowly.

"Yes. We know that there's something guarding it. What?"

Jasper took a deep breath. "I'm sure you know that I'm not allowed to tell anyone."

"Tell," she said. Jasper groaned.

"Fine. I think that Harry knows about Fluffy. And then, uh, when you get through the trapdoor, there're Professor Sprout's Devil's Snares. They'll try to strangle you, so, um, you'll need to get out of the way quickly. If you don't, err, light a fire. After that, there'll be a locked door. There will be, um, keys flying around, but there'll be a broomstick. Catch the really big key. When you uh, get through the door, there's going to be a game of um, chess that you have to play through to get to the other side. After that, there will be a doorway, but a troll, um, will be guarding it. Knock it out, and there's another doorway, where you will be surrounded by, err, flames. There are seven potions there, some of them wine, some poison, but only two will get you back out again, through the flames. One will let you go onward, but one will let you go back. There will be a riddle to help you. That's it." Alice had never heard him use so many 'um's, 'err's and 'uh's in a sentence before, noticed that he had a habit of running his hands through his hair when he was nervous.

"How'd you know all this?" Alice asked, amazed. Jasper narrowed his eyes.

"I have my resources. Now, if you'll please excuse me, I really must go. I've said more than I should." He strode out of the library.

Alice caught up with him. "Why are you being so unpleasant?"

An expression of hurt, surprise and anger flitted across his face. "Nothing. Have I been rude? Sorry."

"No. What happened to you during Christmas?"

"Alice, I've answered more than I—"

"No," she growled, pushing him against a wall. He didn't try to fight back, "I meant, you weren't like this last term. Last term, you were all right and talking. Now, we _hardly_ see each other, let alone talk. What's wrong?"

"Alice, don't make me curse you," he said earnestly, his hands going through his hair again.

"I'd like to see you try!" she yelled. Several people stopped to look at them.

Jasper shook his head. "Let's just say," his expression turned serious, "there is a reason why Rosalie and I have different surnames. Why our parents don't want others to know we're related."

"Well, why?" Alice demanded stubbornly.

A ghost of his old smile came back. "Still curious? Curiosity killed the cat."

"I'm no cat."

"Winter is, though."

Alice was furious, because at that moment, Winter, who was in her bag, started to meow loudly. "You wouldn't."

"Of course not." He smiled, and for a moment, Alice forgot her anger. But then it came back quickly.

"It's your father, isn't it?"

"How did you know?"

"I have my resources," she quoted sourly. He laughed, the first laugh she had heard that term.

"Doesn't matter, I'll ask Rosalie," she huffed.

"Oh, she doesn't know," he chuckled lowly, "so it'd be a dreadful waste of time."

"You are diabolical," she growled.

"That's how I've survived so far. Now, why don't you go back to Harry and tell him what you know already? And then the four of you can be safely on your way."

"I'm not going anywhere," she sniffed, "not until you answer my question."

"Then you'll stay here for eternity." He pulled out his wand.

"Hey!" it was Percy Weasley, "what's going on? No magic in the corridor, remember?"

---

"…and that's it," Alice finished. Hermione looked at her curiously.

"Alice, is there something wrong?"

"Nothing. I just don't want to go," she sniffed. Ron started to protest, but Harry elbowed him. Hermione nodded, and the three of them put on their invisibility cloaks and disappeared just as Rosalie came into the common room, with Bella and the boys. Edward looked sick and tired, and was clutching Emmett for support.

"Hi, Alice, why the long face? Cheer up! The exams are over!" Emmett boomed. Why did he always have to speak so loudly?

Rosalie's observation was just as sharp as her brother's. "It's Jasper, isn't it?"

Alice nodded.

"Ah, well, he's a Slytherin, and Slytherins are never nice," Bella said in a matter-of-factly tone. The boys left silently. Or rather, Edward left silently. Emmett was louder.

"No!" said Alice, "he's just…so mean to me!"

Rosalie stood up and cracked her knuckles. Alice wondered if it was Emmett who taught her that. "Mean? Hell, he's going to get it…"

That managed to crack a smile from Alice. Bella laughed. "Is that how you got Winter?" Alice asked.

"Not really," said Rosalie. She started to playback: "I put him against a wall and I did _this,_" she arranged her face into a terrifying scowl, "and I said: 'you listen to me, little brother, give Winter to me or else!' and he was going to protest, and then I _punched_ him in the stomach like _this,_" she swung her fist around, just like Emmett's punches, "and I said: 'give me Winter. Now,' and he was so scared, he handed the kitten to me without another word!"

Alice and Bella were breathless. "Did you really do that?" choked Bella, trying not to laugh.

Rosalie looked sheepish. "Well, yeah."

Alice smiled. Rosalie had never failed to make her laugh. "What did you do at Christmas?"

Rosalie's grin disappeared. "Uh, just some stuff," she mumbled. Alice noticed that she had the habit of running her hand through her hair, just like Jasper did when he was nervous.

"Like what?" she pressed on.

"Um, Alice, it's actually quite late, and um, you look like you could do with some rest," said Rosalie.

"Just like your brother," Alice grumbled.

"What's that?"

"You two never answer any questions like this," said Alice angrily. Bella slipped out of the room quietly.

"Like what?" asked Rosalie, "listen, Alice, Christmas was, uh, pretty boring for me. The moment we got back home, I stole Winter from Jasper, and the next day, um, he went to stay with his father."

Alice raised her eyebrows. "_His_ father."

"Well, yeah, we don't have the same father, see?" she was definitely nervous, like she had been caught telling Alice something she shouldn't, her hands were now frantically going through her hair, "and so that's why I didn't tell you that he was my brother when we first met, because he spends most of his time with his father. In fact, I didn't even know that I had a brother until I was five. So that's why we take different surnames, because my father is a Hale and his is Whitlock." She was talking hurriedly now.

"But why? What does his father do?" Alice was now even more interested.

"I don't know, Alice, I don't know!" Rosalie sounded a little hysterical, just like Jasper when he had been cornered by Snape, "please stop asking me this, I'm not supposed to tell you anything! I don't know anything, only that it must be something bad or against the law because Jasper never tells me anything, and nor will mother! In fact, mother always breaks down in tears when I ask her!" she now sounded close to tears. Alice decided to let her off for once.

"Sorry. I'm just curious."

"No, no, don't be," Rosalie was still looking frightened, "it's just that…I'm not so used to doing this."

Just then, Edward and Emmett came out from the boy's dormitory. "He's going home early," said Emmett, dragging Edward's trunk. Edward's face was pale, and he was trembling all over, his breath coming out in short gasps. There something about his behaviour alerted Alice to her senses, but she didn't take any notice. Then Edward dropped to his knees in pain. Everyone rushed over, including Bella, but Emmett stopped them.

"Not now," he said, "he's ill." On the ground, Edward began to whimper in pain; his hands suddenly clenched into hard fists so that his knuckles were white, and he gritted his teeth. Alice suddenly remembered what he reminded her of: she had seen him exactly like that in the Mirror of Erutuf.

"Are you all right?" she asked, concerned. Edward's only response was to snap at her. Alice flinched back, alarmed at how much he resembled a wild beast.

"I'm taking him home," said Emmett, dragging Edward away, "see you guys soon."

-

The last week of school passed by in a haze of sunshine. Gryffindor won the house cup, much to Alice's great surprise, because it seemed as though Harry, Ron and Hermione were unbelievably successful. It cheered Alice to see that Draco Malfoy looked murderous when Dumbledore declared Gryffindor first.

And then there were their test results. To Alice's great surprise, she passed with good results for Astronomy and Charms, which made up for her disastrous History, Potions and Transfiguration. Even Emmett passed, which was to say, you can't underestimate half giants. Both Hermione and Jasper tied for first place in the year. Hermione was livid when she had been informed.

"I should have gotten that one right!" she said as they were packing their trunks, referring to a question in History, which, apparently, was the only one she got wrong, "I knew that in 1564, September the fifteenth…"

"Hermione, please don't go through everything again," begged Alice, "once is quite enough…"

And then all of a sudden, they were back on the Hogwarts Express, exactly as if nothing had happened. Only now, there were the four of them in one compartment.

"I wonder how Edward is doing," said Bella.

"He'll be fine," assured Rosalie for the thousandth time, "Alice, Bella, you _have_ to come over and stay. I'll be so lonely all by myself."

Jasper raised an eyebrow. "I'll be there."

"Family members don't count, Jazz. So what about it?"

"Sure," said Bella, "we'll come."

Alice didn't reply. She didn't want to tell anyone that her suspicions proved to be right all along: it was Quirrel behind all the trouble. No one would believe her. Personally, she was just glad that the year was over. Winter meowed at her. Rosalie laughed suddenly.

"What?" Alice frowned.

"I just thought of something, if you come, we'll play Quidditch! My mother's got quite a few coconuts…"

Alice laughed. Coconuts for Quaffles? "You bet we'll come," she grinned, "this summer's going to be awesome."

**AN**

**Well, that's the first year. I'm ticked, though: my poll doesn't work, it doesn't let anyone vote. So I want people to just review instead: do you or do you not want to read about Alice's later years? There're still quite a few mysteries to solve…**

**Please REVIEW!!!**


	9. Year 2: The Heir of Slytherin

**The Heir of Slytherin**

"What?"

"Please, mum," begged Rosalie, "just this one game…please…"

Mrs. Hale didn't look happy. "All right. But you'd better find the brooms first."

Rosalie paused in the middle of the hall. "Why?"

Bella and Alice were already hopping mad. "Aren't they in the broomshed?" Bella asked feverishly.

"I don't know," said Mrs. Hale, "Jasper's hidden them somewhere."

Alice laughed as she saw Rosalie's fists ball up and Jasper come into the kitchen. "Uh-oh…"

"YOU'RE DEAD, JASPER!!!"

---

Alice mounted her broom. "Okay! That's it! We're gonna to waste you!" she shouted excitedly.

Rosalie stuck out her tongue.

Bella laughed and swung her leg over her broom. "All right, let's do this!"

Rosalie had kept her word. They were now using coconuts as the Quaffle, so that the muggles didn't see anything. Rosalie had volunteered to be Keeper. Alice watched Bella mount her broom and take off.

That was when it happened. Alice saw, in horror, the mirror image.

…_Bella grabbed the coconut and scored a goal. Rosalie was furious. Bella turned and gave Alice a hi-five. But Alice wasn't where she was; instead, Bella lost her balance and plummeted down to earth…_

"Bella!"

Rosalie's scream tore through the air.

Then Alice did a very silly and brave thing. She flew after Bella; after all, she could catch her…if only…

Splat.

---

_Two months later…_

Edward was hopping mad.

"How's Bella?" he kept asking Rosalie. Rosalie smirked.

"Very well, but you're not allowed to see her yet.

"Why?" whined Edward.

"Bella says that she wants to test you." Alice folded her arms.

It was very interesting to see Edward like that. Ever since he had heard that Bella fell from her broom, he had been trying to see her. But Rosalie and Alice had locked Bella in the Hale's guest room, trying to tease Edward's patience.

He looked a lot better than he did two months ago, though; the last time Alice had seen him, he looked like Snape had force-fed him poison.

Emmett arrived. "Hello!" he boomed, as usual. He had grown at least ten cm over the last two months; but his face was covered in bruises and cuts.

"What happened to you?" Alice demanded. Emmett grinned.

"Got into a fight with my father," Alice shivered.

"I can't believe that school's starting," groaned Rosalie, trying to make conversation.

"Who's going to be our Defence against the Dark Arts teacher?" Alice asked.

"Dunno."

Alice leaned back and closed her eyes. Quirrel had been a disappointment; she had learned nothing at all in his classes, and had failed her exams disastrously. She secretly hoped for a better teacher.

"Hello," said a voice.

Alice opened her eyes. Jasper was sitting beside her. He had gone away the day after Bella's accident to 'spend more time with his father,' as he had put it. He was now visibly taller, though not as tall as Emmett, looked paler than she had ever seen, and there was a faint scar running down his cheek. Nevertheless, he smiled at her.

"Where's Bella?"

"In the morgue," snapped Edward. Jasper just smiled.

"Oh, I see. What happened?"

"She fell from a broom. Didn't you hear?"

"Oh, I just hoped that it would be something more interesting. She's quite clumsy on her feet, isn't she?"

There was a little pause. "So," said Alice, not wanting to be rude, "had a good holiday?"

Jasper nodded slowly. "Not bad. And you?"

Alice gestured at Edward. "Until so far." She leaned closed to him. "What did you exactly do?" she asked.

He raised his eyebrows. "I stayed home and did my homework like any good school boy would do."

"Homework!" scoffed Alice, "homework doesn't take _that_ long."

"It does, for some."

The minutes ticked by slowly. Edward kept shooting glances at the clock, waiting for twelve so that he would be able to see Bella at last.

When twelve o'clock arrived, Edward jumped up to enter Bella's room. Alice blocked him.

"Nah, ladies first!" she and Rosalie took slow, model steps into the room. Edward was already _dying_ to see Bella.

Then Mrs. Hale came out of the room. "I'm sorry, kids, but Bella says she wants take a walk. She's already gone."

Edward let out a howl of frustration.

---

"You were oversensitive, Ed."

"You could've been killed," Edward huffed.

They were now sitting on the Hogwarts Express. Alice was trying not to listen to Emmett and Rosalie's talk, which, so far, turned out to be The Great Adventures of Emmett the Big. Jasper sat opposite of her, reading, as usual, his nose buried in _Gadding with Ghouls_. Only today, he was reading it with an expression of disgust on his face.

"Any good?" she asked him when he finally flung it aside.

"A great load of rubbish." He stared at the photo of Gilderoy Lockhart on the cover. Alice thought he looked a little emo.

"Lockhart?" Bella frowned, "he's quite famous, isn't he?"

"He's our new Defence against the Dark Arts teacher," said Edward in a creepy voice.

"Edward, what was wrong with you last term?"

Edward froze. "I was ill," he said hastily.

"Really? Couldn't you have just gone to the hospital wing?"

"No, it's serious." Edward was nervous, now.

As everyone piled off the train, Alice was still wondering if Edward had spoken the truth.

---

The new Defence against the Dark Arts teacher was indeed Lockhart. He sat them all down on their first lesson and began to lecture them.

"Now, let's see if you have got everything about me!" he beamed around at them all, passing out the quiz papers.

There were three, all double-sided. Alice read down the first column.

_What's Gilderoy Lockhart's favourite colour?_

_What's Gilderoy Lockhart's favourite food?_

_What's Gilderoy Lockhart's favourite type of clothes?_

_What's Gilderoy Lockhart's favourite book?_

_Where would Gilderoy Lockhart go for a holiday?_

This continued to

_How old is Gilderoy Lockhart?_

_When is Gilderoy Lockhart's birthday, and what's his secret ambition?_

_How do you think Gilderoy Lockhart's hair looks? Express your opinion._

Alice had never met anyone that was gayer than this man. Gilderoy Lockhart was one of the most disgusting men on earth. He didn't even look that handsome. Bella and Rosalie, however, were all for him. Stupid girls, thought Alice as she scribbled down _**emo and dirty and looks like a filthy mop**_ for the last answer.

The exam was followed by another crisis. Alice didn't like the look of the Cornish Pixies he brought to class, and liked them even less when the rest of the lesson was spent by catching them.

"What's the point?" she groaned to Rosalie that night.

"He's sooo handsome!" gushed Rosalie. Alice tried not to puke.

The year was no better than the last. What made the whole thing worst was Halloween, when the words

**THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED.**

**ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE.**

had been found written on the wall, and Harry Potter was blamed for the whole thing.

"What exactly is the Chamber of Secrets?" Alice asked Bella, knowing the answer.

"Don't know, Alice. Now, please stop bothering me." She was writing out a Potions essay.

The teachers wouldn't tell her, either, only that it was a legend. But Alice knew whom to go to whenever there was anything like that.

"Jasper," she said one evening, as they were in the library, "what _is_ the Chamber of Secrets?"

Jasper accidentally snapped his quill in half. Bella shot him an annoyed look. "What?"

"You know, the Chamber of Secrets."

He inhaled and ran his fingers through his hair. A give-away—that meant he knew.

"Well, um, people say it's a legend, that uh, Salazar Slytherin made a certain chamber in Hogwarts when he founded it, because he didn't believe that err, muggles should study at Hogwarts, so um, he sealed a monster in the chamber, and when the err, true heir of Slytherin has arrived at the school, he um, or she would be able to unleash the monster and err, set it on all those who are not worthy to study at Hogwarts. Um, muggles, to put it simply. It's rubbish, really," he added, seeing Alice's horrified expression, "I mean, muggles aren't at all bad, err, some of them are actually quite, um, _nice._" The last word was spoken with forced sincerity, and his eyes flickered to Hermione.

"So…what exactly is the monster?"

"I have never thought," he said delicately.

"A werewolf? A vampire? A ghoul? A giant?" Alice started to fire off suggestions.

"I don't know." Why was he looking at Edward like that?

"Loser, Slytherin," came a voice. A Hufflepuff, Justin hissed from across the table. Jasper took no notice. But the Hufflepuff continued to speak and whisper.

"When did the Slytherins abandon their ways, Whitlock?" smirked Justin, "talking and sitting with Gryffindors? I don't think much of you."

Alice glared at Justin. "Go away," she hissed.

"So you're all for him, then? You want to be careful, Alice; there hasn't been a single Slytherin who didn't become a dark wizard, Alice!"

"Ignore him, Alice."

"Oh yeah?" yelled Justin, "well, let me tell you this: you Slytherins all think you're the master of this school? You're all big, fat losers and that will rub off you one day!"

The library was deathly silent.

---

"I didn't even touch the cat!" Harry was saying to Ron for the hundredth time, referring to Mrs. Norris, who had been found, stiff and almost-dead under the writing.

Alice rolled her eyes, put on her earmuffs and squished her mandrake into its pot. Problem was, it didn't like being squished. Alice had to stand two hours of screaming.

"…and Colin was nowhere near me, I was in the hospital wind, remember? Hey, Alice, are you going to Lockhart's duelling club?"

"Um," said Alice, thinking, "I suppose that going would be useful." Secretly, though, she thought that a mandrake would probably scare Slytherin's heir senseless.

So Alice found herself at Lockhart's stupid duelling club a few days later. There were a lot of fan girls.

"Okay!" said Lockhart, "let me introduce my assistant, Professor Snape, who reckons he knows just a tiny bit of duelling himself. I want you now to pair up. Now!"

Bella and Edward were together instantly. Rosalie looked at Emmett, and they were together. Alice looked around hopelessly.

"Alone, Ms. Brandon?" came Snape's smirk, "let's see…" Alice knew who he was going to get before he even said it.

"…Alice!" beamed Lockhart, his arm around a very much disgusted Jasper, "you're all alone! Perfect match!" he said, shoving the two of them together, not noticing that they were from different houses, "now!" he climbed back onto the platform, "let me demonstrate!"

Alice winced as there was a loud bang, and Lockhart was thrown off his feet. Then they were allowed to disarm each other. Alice faced Jasper.

"One—two—three!" Lockhart shouted.

"Expelliarmus!" shouted Alice, but a second later, the spell bounded straight back to her, throwing her backwards. Jasper rushed to her.

"I'm sorry, Alice, I—"

"Get out of the way, boy," snarled Snape. There was a sudden bang, and a snake rushed out of nowhere. Malfoy, apparently, had conjured it to attack Harry.

And then there was Lockhart…there was a big bang, and the snake flew into the air. Alice ducked, as it landed at her feet and slithered over to Justin. But her attention became focused on Harry; he was hissing something to the snake…the snake continued towards Justin and kept right on going…

Snape stepped forward, and the snake disappeared. Alice stared at Harry, who looked back with an expression of horror.

**AN**

**Second year might suck, because it's a very 'Harry-Potter' year. **

**Please REVIEW!!!**


	10. Polyjuice Potion

**Polyjuice Potion**

"Okay," said Hermione, pacing the bathroom. Alice stifled a yawn behind her hand.

It was five in the morning. The rain was pounding the windows and yet, Hermione had gathered them in a _toilet._ Particularly a _haunted_ toilet. Moaning Myrtle made private business very unpleasant.

"This is what we know" she said, "fifty years ago, someone opened the Chamber of Secrets. We don't know who it is, and if they were ever caught, because the whole thing was hushed up. But now, everyone thinks that Harry is the heir, just because he can speak Parseltongue. But I have a feeling that it might be Malfoy. His family's blood is as pure as anything, and he hates muggles."

"Do you know," said Harry slowly, "that although I told the snake to get away from Justin, it continued to advance on Justin _because someone else was commanding it?_"

Ron's mouth dropped open. "What?"

"Well, I told it not to attack Justin, but at the same time, there was another voice saying _attack him, kill him, rip him into shreds!_"

"So you mean that there was someone else in the room that could speak Parseltongue?"

"Yes."

"Definitely Malfoy, he was the one who conjured up the snake."

"Hey!" said Alice, "all this is very nice supposing, but how are you going to spy on him? I'm not doing it."

"Easy," said Hermione plainly, "we're going to turn into Malfoy's best pals. I'm going to be Millicent; Harry's going to be Goyle, Ron's going to be Crabbe and Alice, you're going to be Pansy, Pansy Parkinson."

Alice's eyes bugged out. "You've got to be kidding me!" she almost screamed.

"No, Alice," said Hermione, "we're NOT kidding you."

"Then make me wake up!" Alice groaned, "Turning me into Pansy Parkinson is the last thing I'll ever do! I will die! Really!"

Harry sighed. "Please, Alice, Ron and I don't want to do it either, but it's the only thing we've got. We think Malfoy's behind all this, but we can't prove it!"

Hermione grinned suddenly.

"Alice, think of it as…dressing up."

That got her. "Yay! I love clothes!"

---

The potion bubbled in front of Alice's eyes. She eyed it with distaste.

"I still can't believe you went into all that trouble just to turn into Crabbe and Goyle," she moaned.

"Come on, Alice, you promised," said Hermione cheerfully. Alice gulped.

"How many Slytherins are staying here for Christmas?"

"Just about all, so we'll need to be careful. Ready?"

Alice dropped Pansy's hair into the polyjuice potion. It started to bubble and froth and turned a disgusting yellow. "I'm ready."

"Wait," said Harry, as they all tilted back their heads to drink, "once we transform, we won't fit. Come on, let's all go into the cubicles… "

The instant Alice tasted it, she wanted to spit it back out.

The potion tasted like overcooked carrots. Almost instantly, her insides began to wither like worms. Then a burning sensation started to spread from her stomach and straight to her the ends of her fingers and toes. Then she experienced an even more horrible feeling as her whole body began to bubble like wax. She stared at her fingers; they had begun to thicken and grow. Alice could feel her backside taking on new weight; so had her front side. She reached up to her face and met a new layer of blubber that she had never before dreamt to touch.

And then everything stopped. And in the mirror was—

"Pansy Parkinson?"

Her voice was now a low rasp. Pansy Parkinson resembled a boy more than a girl. Her face was all squashed up like she had just run at a wall. With trembling fingers, she slipped out of her robes, which were now in shreds, hanging at least three feet above her ankles. And then she laced up her shoes, where the toes had now burst through, and hastily stuffed her scarf into her robes.

"Alice?" came Goyle's voice from the next stall.

"Harry?" she unlocked the door and found herself face-to-face with Goyle. He smiled—an expression that didn't seem quite nice on him.

"Ron?" she asked. Crabbe stepped out from behind her. She jumped in fright.

"It's only me," said Ron hastily. He pounded on Hermione's door.

"Hermione! Are you ready?"

"You go first!" she squeaked.

They looked at each other. "Hermione," said Alice, "I know that Millicent Bulstrode is not pretty, so come out! I'm no better!"

"No! Just go…you're wasting time!"

Harry shrugged. "Let's go."

As soon as they reached the Great Hall, they realized that they were hopelessly lost.

"I think that the Slytherins come from here…" Harry suggested, pointing. And then their saviour came.

"Crabbe! Goyle! Have you two been pigging out in the hall all this time?" then his eyes slid over to Alice, "oh, Pansy, you'd better come as well. I've got something funny to show you." It occurred to Alice that Malfoy liked Pansy, but she said nothing.

They came to a stretch of damp stone. "Pure blood," said Malfoy, and they entered.

The Slytherin common room was exactly the opposite of the Gryffindor common room. The ceiling was very low, and most of the room was in shadow. Alice looked around automatically for Jasper, and sure enough, he was there, asleep with his head in his arms on a spell book. Malfoy smirked.

"Watch this," he whispered, "I learnt this yesterday." He took out his wand.

"_Accio wand_!"

Jasper's wand, which was lying beside his spell book, suddenly flew across the room into Malfoy's hand. He caught it, smiling in triumph. But the movement had disturbed Jasper. He sat up and saw his wand in Malfoy's hands.

"Give me back my wand!"

Malfoy smirked. "Not so fast, I think." And he snapped it right in half.

There was no telling if Alice would've went right up to Malfoy and slapped him if it weren't for Harry, who stopped her at the last moment. She forced Pansy's face into an awful smirk. Malfoy snapped the wand again and again, until it looked like it had been through the Whomping Willow. And then he threw it into the fireplace.

"That'll teach you not refuse when I want to copy your homework." He smirked again and mentioned for them to follow him into the dormitories. However, he stopped Alice.

"Pansy, I've already told you that you can't come in here." The way he said that was plain _sick;_ Alice never thought she'd see the day when Malfoy would _simper_ at her. Alice went back to the Slytherin common room alone, where Jasper was still trying to retrieve his wand from the fireplace. When he saw her, however, his face pulled into an awful snarl.

"Come to gloat again? Is Malfoy still not satisfied with my loss?" he hissed at her.

Alice didn't know what to do. "Um, no."

Pansy Bulstrode obviously didn't stutter, because he looked at her curiously, but didn't say anything. Then he gave up on his wand and slumped back to his table.

"What are you doing?" asked Alice, watching him scribble on a piece of parchment. That gave her away. Jasper raised an eyebrow.

"What do I look like I'm doing? Writing for a new wand," then he added, "Alice."

Alice stared. "Excuse me?"

"Well, you're not very good at spying, and it's only a matter of time before you're going to be caught if you continue wearing a Gryffindor scarf."

Alice blushed and looked down to see the end of her Gryffindor scarf poking out of her robes. "Oops."

"You're lucky that Malfoy didn't see that. But what are you doing here?"

Alice sat back down. "Spying, like you guessed. Harry thinks that Malfoy's the heir of Slytherin." As soon as she said it, she blushed again—it sounded so funny in the context.

Jasper's expression was amused. "Malfoy, the heir of Slytherin? What a disappointment, having such a disgusting piece of _filth_ for an heir. I'm surprised. Malfoy's not the type."

Alice thought for a moment. Jasper burst into laughter. Alice frowned.

"What?" she had never seen him laugh that hard before.

"You have no idea how funny Pansy looks when she's thinking," he said, still laughing.

Alice reached into her robes and grabbed a mirror. "Oh my gosh, I _do_ look comical," she gasped.

Jasper straightened up. "Well, you're going to have to try again, because the heir of Slytherin is _definitely_ not Malfoy." Then his expression changed into horror.

"Alice, you'd better go. You're changing back."

Just then, Harry and Ron came running out. Alice gasped—Ron's hair was now turning back to red and Harry's scar was beginning to show again. She realized that she must've started shrinking.

"Go. I'll cover for you," Jasper hissed, throwing open the door and letting them out. Alice could hear Malfoy bellowing behind them before the slab of stone slid shut again.

-

Alice was not really expecting it.

This was probably the worst thing that could possibly happen, as she stepped back into the common room. Bella was sitting in front of the now dimly lit fireplace.

"Hi, Bella!" Alice said wearily. Harry and Ron both said goodnight. Alice sat beside her friend.

"Bella?" Alice started to shake her friend. And then she screamed.

"BELLA? BELLA? BELLA, NO, IT CAN'T BE! BELLA! NO! IS THIS A JOKE?"

But the silence and stiffness of Bella's cold and frozen body told Alice that no, no, this was not a joke.

**AN**

**Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear...**

**Please REVIEW!!!**


	11. Another Secret Mirror

**Another Secret Mirror**

"For the hundredth time, Rosalie, _none of this makes any sense. _Bella was a pure blood. The heir of Slytherin is only supposed to attack muggles."

"Maybe it's changed its mind?" suggested Alice.

Edward's fist came down on the table. "The heir of Slytherin has got something against Bella! That's what I've been telling you…"

"So who is the heir?" challenged Rosalie. Edward was at a loss for words. Alice quickly seized the chance.

"And besides, maybe it was an accident…the heir was probably after someone else in Gryffindor, but she saw it by accident."

Edward looked liable to explode. Rosalie cut in.

"Think about it this way…who'd hate Bella so much as to want her dead?"

Edward sighed. "I wish I knew."

---

Harry, Ron and Hermione were all disappointed.

"I so thought it would be him," Ron moaned one day as they were on their way to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom to discuss what had gone wrong.

Harry was busy looking at something on the ground. Alice looked closer to see that it was a diary.

"Look at this," said Harry, bending to pick it up, but Ron stopped him and began to rant on about dangerous books.

"Okay, okay, I get the point," said Harry, pocketing the diary and hastily changing the subject, "now what? We haven't even got a suspect."

"I don't know," said Hermione. Then her eyes widened.

"The chamber was opened fifty years ago, right? And this diary is fifty years old. Do any of you know T. M. Riddle?"

"I do," both Ron and Alice replied. They looked at each other.

"Well, he won special services to the school," said Alice, shrugging.

"Same here," said Ron, "how'd you know?"

"Detention with Filch last year, after I petrified Malfoy."

Ron chuckled. "It was for crashing dad's flying car."

Alice stared. "Car?"

"Muggle transportation," said Harry hastily, "but to the point, what if Riddle got awarded for catching the heir of Slytherin?"

"The heir must be pretty dull," said Hermione.

As they exited the bathroom, Alice doubled back for her bag which she had left on the floor. Her eyes peeked once more over the place where Harry had found the diary. Then they widened as she saw something else in the corner—something shiny…

It was a mirror.

Alice picked it up. Past experience had told her that mirrors were something you didn't want to trust too much. The Mirror of Erutuf had showed her many unpleasant things she'd rather not have seen.

But this mirror was square and plain, and when she looked into it, nothing happened, save to split her face right in half. It was about as useful as a muggle's car to her. But like Harry, she put it in her bag.

---

Rosalie made a face in the mirror and laughed.

"Don't know why you don't chuck it, Alice. It's broken."

"I know," responded Alice, lying on her bed. But for some reason, she kept on looking in it. Rosalie went out of the room to join Edward and Emmett in the library. Alice looked at it and spoke the first name that came into her mind.

"Tom Marvolo Riddle."

Then she stared at the surface of the mirror, as it had suddenly dimmed and become misty. Seconds later, a handsome boy about sixteen or fifteen was looking at her.

"Who are you?"

Alice jumped. In the Mirror of Erutuf, the images had never spoken to her before.

"Um," she quickly lied, "Lucy."

"Nice to meet you, Lucy. I am Tom Riddle. How did you find this two way mirror?"

"Well," she said, "someone tried to chuck it."

Tom smiled. "Well, I always know that someone would try that."

"Why? What do you mean? And aren't you supposed to be older?"

"You're only looking at a memory of me, Lucy. And as for what I mean, I mean that there are other ways to preserve a terrible past of Hogwarts' history."

"Like the Chamber of Secrets?"

"Yes." Tom looked a little bored.

"It's happening again," Alice said shakily.

"I caught the heir," said Tom, "I caught the heir fifty years ago, and the whole thing was hushed up because the headmaster didn't want anyone to know."

"So you know who it is, then?" Alice asked eagerly, "can you tell me?"

"I can show you, if you like." Tom smiled.

"Show me?"

"How it happened."

The mirror dimmed, and Alice found herself looking into a Hogwarts, fifty years ago…

---

There was another younger boy with Tom when she looked into the mirror. When Alice saw his face, her eyes widened, because she had seen the boy before in the Mirror of Erutuf, only he was older then. Now, he was only about eleven or twelve. Alice saw now that he resembled Tom in many ways, but they were still different. Possibly his younger brother, Alice assumed. The two of them were sitting together, talking worriedly in low voices in the Slytherin common room.

"They're talking about closing the school," Tom was saying frantically, "this has got to stop."

"That's only because the headmaster is a Gryffindor," mumbled the other boy.

"And you want to go back to the orphanage? _I_ don't want to spend the rest of my life with muggles."

"As soon as _**it**_ gets the head out of here, what have we to worry?" asked the other boy.

"Look, I won't let you, John—"

"At what expense?" demanded the younger one, "and what cover-up story have you got?"

"I'll get the oaf, Rebus Hagrid; they'll believe it was him…"

"What, you think that they'll believe that a _Gryffindor_ did this?"

"And why not? Wrestling trolls, raising werewolf cubs…he's one person for trouble."

"It's not fair, Tom."

"Of course it's not fair, my brother, but then, are _you_ willing to take the blame?"

Something about Tom was very familiar as he said it…John arched back his neck and _hissed_ at him. Not literally; he opened his mouth into a horrific snarl and said something that sounded like the hissing of snakes to Tom. The ends of Tom's mouth curled into a sneer.

"Very well, then…"

And then the vision changed. She was now looking into a small, dark room. A boy in the corner had his back to her and was mumbling to something. Where was Tom? If this was his memory, then where was he?

He arrived a second later. The door banged open, and there he stood, with his wand out.

"Good evening, Rebus."

The boy stood up and slammed the lid shut. "What are yer doing down here, Tom?"

"Look, they're talking about closing the school down…"

"No! He'd never hurt anyone!"

"Stand back, Hagrid…"

The mirror darkened, and Alice found herself looking into Tom's face again.

"Are you all right, Lucy?"

Alice nodded. "What was that?"

"As you can see, Lucy, the heir of Slytherin was never caught," said Tom, "I myself am quite astounded that no one never suspected Hagrid…after all, the heir of Slytherin must be a Slytherin."

"You called him your brother," said Alice, referring to John, "so the two of you were related?"

"Hardly, Lucy. And now, I really have errands to run."

The image disappeared.

-

"…no students are allowed to go anywhere alone," finished Professor McGonagall. She looked around at them bleakly.

"What happened?" whispered Alice to Rosalie.

"Ginny Weasley's been taken," said Rosalie in a hushed voice. Alice saw Harry and Ron looking as though they were petrified themselves.

For some reason, Alice had never had the nerve to tell the other three about what she had seen in the mirror. Harry had a reason to believe that Moaning Myrtle was a muggle who had died fifty years ago, but ever since Hermione had been petrified, the two of them had stopped telling Alice anything. As Ron had put it, for all he and Harry knew, Alice could be 'the heir of Slytherin herself,' or even 'Voldemort's right hand woman.'

How furious she had been!

Well, thought Alice, if they didn't want to trust her, then she had her own ways, and other people who would. She pulled out a piece of parchment.

_**Jasper:**_

_**I think that it's time for me to tell you everything…**_

**AN**

**Happy reading.**

**Please REVIEW!!!**


	12. The Chamber of Secrets

**The Chamber of Secrets**

Alice hurried down the corridor. She had exactly 20 minutes to get to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom without being seen. So far, she had met no one. Yet.

As she rounded the corner to the hospital wing, she heard voices. Curious, she stopped to listen.

"…there you are, Miss Swan, and hurry along to bed now, before you get attacked again…"

"Thank you, Madam Pomfrey," came Bella's voice.

So the mandrake stuff had really worked. Alice smiled and waited for Bella to come around the corner, waiting to surprise her…

She never came.

Alice frowned and peeked out. Bella was nowhere to be seen, and she couldn't have gone the other way. Did she somehow go back to the hospital wing? But then she would have heard the doors open.

And suddenly, Alice knew, somehow, that the monster of Slytherin had struck again. And this time, they had taken Bella with them.

Her heart pounding, Alice ran the rest of the way to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, where she met a very sleepy and tousle-haired Jasper.

"What is it?" he joked in a tired voice, "Alice, the exams are only three days away. If this isn't a matter of life and death…"

"It is," Alice stopped his muttering and pulled him into the bathroom. But her jaw dropped open when she saw that one of the sinks had pulled away from the wall, revealing a huge pipe.

"Myrtle?"

There was no answer. Alice turned to Jasper.

"Okay, I know I may sound stupid, but Bella has been taken by the heir of Slytherin. The heir that was caught fifty years ago was a fake; it was Hagrid, but he was innocent. The real heir was never caught. A boy, Tom Riddle told me from a two-way-mirror."

Jasper raised a sceptical eyebrow, and Alice's heart sank.

"Alice, I'm really sorry, but have you got any idea how absurd this sounds?"

Alice bit her lip, her eyes beginning to swim with tears. "So you don't believe me?"

He smiled briefly. "Of course I believe you."

Relief swam over Alice and without knowing why she burst into tears and flung her arms around Jasper's neck. "Alice! Are you all right?" Jasper said, seriously alarmed as she sobbed into his shoulder.

"I—I—I'm just so relieved!" she continued to cry, "I mean, no one believes me! Edward's too cut up over Bella, and—and—and—Emmett is too stupid to understand a word I say and Rosalie only laughs at me!"

After what seemed like ages, Alice finally pulled away. "Sorry," she sniffed, "I'm overreacting."

"Don't be," Jasper smiled once more, and Alice knew that she was forbidden.

"So what do we do now?" Alice said in despair, "We don't know what's in the Chamber of Secrets, who opened it last time and who's doing it this time."

"Alice, calm down," said Jasper in a soothing voice, "Let's think this over…what was Salazar Slytherin best known for?"

"I don't know…being mean?"

Jasper gave a hollow laugh. "No. It was for being a Parselmouth. He could talk to snakes. That's why everyone thought Harry Potter was the heir…"

"So," said Alice, "you think that there's a gigantic snake down there?"

"Possibly. Perhaps even a basilisk."

"A what?"

"King of the serpents," said Jasper, "a huge snake that can live up to hundred of years old, born from a chicken's egg and hatched beneath a toad. But that's hardly important; it's the eyes that are deadliest. One glance at it can kill you."

"Do _you_ know how silly you sound?" Alice quoted him, even though what he said sounded right.

"Of course. But then, I'm talking to a lunatic here." He smiled.

"So…let's just say that it _is_ a basilisk doing all this. How's it been getting around the school? You said that it's huge, so someone must have seen it. And how about it being able to kill by just looking at you? No one's died yet…"

"I don't know. It's just a guess…but look," he pointed at the pipe, "pipes. That's how it's been getting around unnoticed."

Alice went over to the huge hole.

"We're going down."

"We?" said Jasper uncertainly.

"Means you and me." Alice stated firmly, "for all we know, this could be the way to the Chamber of Secrets."

"Alice, I really don't think—"

"Come on," she begged, "just this once?"

Jasper bit his lip. "I doubt there's going to be second chance. Do you want to go first?"

"Of course not," Alice said coyly, "how else am I supposed to make sure that you come with me?"

Jasper blinked. "Oh, I see. You think that I will run away?"

"Yes."

He sighed. "Very well, then, if you put it that way…" he slid his legs into the pipe, and a second later, he was gone. Alice looked around to see if someone had seen anything. There was no one, so she slid in after Jasper.

It was just like the tunnel at Gringotts. All around her, Alice could see pipes branching off in all directions, none of them as big as their pipe, though. Before she had any time to enjoy the ride, however, the tunnel levelled out, and she shot out and landed in a tunnel. In the gloom, she could see Jasper getting to his feet.

"We must be miles under the school," said Alice, looking around.

"Yeah…_lumos_." The tip of Jasper's wand lit up. Alice did the same.

"Ew," Alice stared around her. There were tiny bones everywhere. She wrinkled up her nose.

"This way," said Jasper, pointing straight ahead. Alice looked to the other side.

"We could go that way…oh, never mind."

They went onwards. Somewhere, they could hear cursing, shouting and curious music. Which was strange, because there wasn't supposed to be anyone down here with them. Unless, Alice thought suddenly, it was the heir of Slytherin that had opened the pipe in the first place and let them all in…

Presently, they came to a dead end. Alice looked at Jasper accusingly.

"Wait," said Jasper, going forward to the wall, and feeling around, "look, there is a door…"

And so there was. A door, covered with carvings of snakes.

"I bet you'd have to say something in snake language to open that," sighed Alice, disappointed.

"No, wait…look, the door's not locked."

It was. Alice pushed it open and entered the vast chamber on the other side.

There was just about nothing in there, just a few stone pillars covered with carvings of snakes. But in the middle of the chamber, lay a black clothed figure.

"Bella?"

It was indeed Bella. Only she wasn't petrified, but then, she wasn't moving, either…

"Is she all right?" asked Jasper coming over.

"I don't know…Bella?"

"Forget the girl," came a cold voice. She looked up and saw, incredibly, Tom Marvolo Riddle, leaning against a pillar, not a day older than sixteen. And at his feet was the two-way-mirror.

Something was very wrong…

"How did she become like this?" demanded Alice.

"Well, that's interesting. I suppose that you can't really trust an invisible stranger, can you?"

"What do you—"

"My mirror, Alice. Indeed, the famous Harry Potter thought that the diary was the only thing I left behind and contained my memory. I admit: I was not expecting you. But Harry Potter is now fighting with Slytherin's monster in another Chamber." His eyes were glowing with mirth, "the other Chamber, Alice, is a fake one. Of course, Harry and his friends just had to choose the other way in the tunnel when you chose this side to follow. Welcome to the _real _Chamber of Secrets." His eyes flickered briefly to Jasper.

"_You're_ the heir of Slytherin?" Alice asked.

"Of course. What did you think?"

"There was the other one…"

Riddle laughed. "John? Dear me, you _are_ very careful. Well, you are right. John and I had different fathers, but we had the same mother. She left me at an orphanage and ran off with _another_ muggle, a doctor, I believe. I must say, I don't really know what she sees in muggles…he was very handsome, very appealing to her to have caught her eye. But then the muggle, too, left her when he found out she was a witch, and she died of a broken heart, and left John in the muggle world. Do you see how hard it is for the both of us? Muggle father and a witch mother, dumped in the muggle world…John arrived at Hogwarts four years after I did, and that's how I really discovered I had a brother, a half one.

"Imagine how happy I felt then. But no, John inherited the filthy muggle's soft heart…he could not bear to kill muggles, or blame Hagrid for the deeds that I did."

"So where's he now?" demanded Alice. In the corner of her eye, she saw Jasper stiffen.

"Oh, he led an incredibly boring life," said Riddle carelessly, "he grew up, married a girl, and had a kid. Unlike me, who grew up to become the most powerful wizard in the world!"

"But you're not Dumbledore," protested Alice.

"Dumbledore!" said Riddle in a mocking voice, "Dumbledore has been driven out of this school by the mere memory of me!

"I knew that it wasn't safe to open the Chamber again at school, and John would never do it, the stupid boy. So I left behind two things: a diary and a mirror. Ginny Weasley was given the diary, and Bella Swan, the two-way-mirror.

"But Bella grew distrustful of her mirror far earlier than Ginny. In the end, she discovered that I was the real heir of Slytherin, and then she tried to dispose of it. In fact, she was very near to telling Dumbledore about me. So, the heir at school right now had the basilisk to attack her…only it didn't work out that well. I knew that she would tell as soon as she was healed, so as soon as she stepped out of the hospital wing, I had her brought down here. After all, who was she to duel against me, Lord Voldemort, greatest of all wizards?"

Alice's ears were ringing with Riddle's words. Riddle smiled.

"But then, you are not really important to me, Alice. I just wondered who could possibly try to trick me into saying that their name was Lucy. And now, you will die here…" he cast an amused eye over both of them, "this is indeed something to talk about…a Gryffindor and a Slytherin together…" he turned and hissed something to a stone pillar.

Instantly, the snakes on the pillars were alive, sliding down from the pillars towards the three of them—Alice, Jasper, and Bella. Alice started to shoo the snakes away from Bella's still body, but they didn't listen to her.

"Harry Potter might have killed the basilisk, Alice, but Slytherin has many more of them…" came Tom Riddle's voice. Alice had only one thought now: _get to the mirror._ The mirror was where Riddle had come from, after all…but the mirror was gone. The snake would not harm Bella, Alice thought, after all, she might as well be dead, and Jasper could take care of himself…

She shut her eyes. A thousand little basilisks was worst than just one big one. One of them could kill her easily. Keeping her eyes shut were the best that she could do now…but as the floor began to rumble, her eyes flew open again.

The pillars were all collapsing. The snakes had all left them, leaving the pillars thin and weak. Weak enough to collapse from the ceiling's weight. One by one, they fell on top of each other. Alice realized that if they didn't get out soon, they would be crushed.

But then a huge slab of stone fell from the ceiling and onto her, and, seeing stars, she passed out. Her last thought was that if she ever survived, she would never, ever look into a mirror again.

**~0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0~**

Alice opened her eyes. So she was still alive! That was a rather nice surprise.

The first thing she noticed was that she was not dead. The second was that she was not in the chamber of secrets anymore. And the third was that…that…her head hurt. She reached up to feel it.

"Please leave it alone," came a rather familiar voice. She sat up quickly.

"Headmaster? Sir, I—"

"Calm down, Alice, or Madam Pomfrey will have me thrown out."

"How long have I been here? Where's Bella? Is she all right?"

"Miss Swan is very well," said Dumbledore, "although she is still here…" he gestured to the bed beside Alice, where Bella lay asleep. She sighed with relief.

"How did I get back up here?" she asked more calmly.

"Well, that's a rather interesting story," said Dumbledore, "I think your friend Mister Whitlock gave everyone a rather nasty fright when he turned up here at the hospital wing straight after Mister Potter and Mister Weasley had come up from the Chamber of Secrets, along with you and Miss Swan, both of you who were half dead. He had only enough time to tell us that the three of you went into the Chamber of Secrets before passing out in dead faint himself. I have to say, the three of you created quite a scene here. Madam Pomfrey was giving out the last of the Mandrake juice to the petrified people when the three of you appeared and nearly petrified Madam Pomfrey herself."

Alice smiled weakly, noticing that her face hurt. "Do I really look that bad?"

"I'm afraid so."

"How long have I been here for?"

"A week. You've got plenty of bones to grow back."

"What?"

"You lost plenty of bones down there."

Alice looked down at herself. Sure enough, most of her was in bandages.

"I suppose Harry told you everything," she said tiredly.

"He did indeed."

"Well, there's nothing new that I've got to say, I think. Harry was always faster to the point than me. Being famous does have reasons, I suppose."

"But just because you aren't doesn't mean that you cannot do something great," said Dumbledore, "and you achieved a lot, Alice, more than the three of them put together."

"How?"

"Well, first of all, you found the real Chamber of Secrets. And then you escaped a dozen basilisks and a whole ceiling that caved in.

"And I know that you suspected that it was Quirrel all along last year. It was hard to, seeing as Quirrel was playing weak. And then, you accomplished all that without breathing a word to your friends.

"But what I think that you have done above all, is to befriend someone from an enemy house. Slytherin swore that he would be enemies with Gryffindor forever. For more than a thousand years, it has remained so. Even Harry did not try to break the custom; he was very bitter enemies with Mr. Malfoy. But you managed to do so, and that is something that I am proud of you. Friendship and love are possibly the two greatest things on earth. Voldemort might have followers, but he treats them as he treats his victims. He has never known love, and doesn't believe in it.

"I have never thought about it twice, until Miss Myrtle told me that you had gone down together. It was only then that I realized how much this friendship mattered to the both of you; so strong it was that it led the both of you to follow each other into the pipe. I must say: I'm impressed."

And Alice looked into Dumbledore's eyes, and she saw that he really meant it.

**~0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0~**

"Alice! Oh, Alice, are you all right?"

Alice laughed as her friends from Gryffindor showered her with cards and flowers. "I'm fine," she said. Emmet reached down and nearly crushed her in a bear hug. Rosalie laughed.

"Go on, we want to hear about the Chamber of Secrets!"

So for the next half an hour, she told them about how she found everything, right down to when the ceiling collapsed. "And then I fainted," she admitted.

"A cracked skull, six broken ribs, a broken arm and leg—you scared the daylights out of everyone," said Rosalie in awe, ticking everything off her fingers.

"Oh well…" she shrugged.

It wasn't until later in the evening that Jasper came to see her.

"How are you?" he asked. Alice stared at the flowers he was holding.

"I've got enough of them."

"Well, you haven't had enough of these yet," he grinned. Alice frowned and pulled the flowers towards her. Instantly, one of them coughed a cloud of perfume into her face.

"Hey!" she yelled. Jasper smiled.

"What are these?" she asked curiously, pulling on a red one, which emitted a strong smell of roses.

"Bewitched roses," Jasper shrugged.

"What spell?"

"Now, _I'm_ not telling you that. You still haven't answered my question."

"What? Oh…spectacular."

There was a bit of silence.

"How did you get out of there unhurt?"

"With a little help from Fawkes, Dumbledore's phoenix. And whoever said anything about unhurt? Do you call broken arm unhurt?"

"No, I meant, how did you get Bella and I out of there alive?"

"How did you think I did it? I went under every stone to _find_ you and Bella."

Something about the way he said that wasn't quite right…

"You're not going to tell me the entire truth, are you?" she asked.

"No." he was being honest now.

"Well, okay, I'll just have to figure out by myself."

"I wish you don't have to."

"Well, I'm always curious, am I not?"

Jasper laughed. "You're out for long. The term's about to end."

"What, no exams?"

"Cancelled, as a school treat. And oh, Gryffindor won the house cup." He pulled a face, "again."

"You must be disappointed."

"Not really," he sighed, "there was never any hope with someone like Malfoy here."

"So…what are you doing in the summer holidays?"

He stared at her. "The holidays? I suppose I'll be studying, of course. Why?"

"Edward's talking about a camp," said Alice, "would you like to come?"

"Nah, not really. There's plenty of stuff to read about next year. What subjects did you pick?"

"I forgot," Alice groaned, "Care for magical creatures, Divination, the usual stuff, you know. What about you?"

"Others. So, looking forward to your camp?"

"Sure. I hope we get a better Defence against the Dark Arts teacher next year."

"Who knows? Lockhart's been fired…turns out that he was really a fraud, after all. And he lost his memory, so maybe they'll give us something like a vampire or werewolf next year."

Alice laughed. "I'd like a werewolf."

"I'll run away from the first one I see," said Jasper, and that look came over him again whenever they talked about a werewolf.

"Well, then…I guess that's it. It's pretty late." He exited from the room, leaving Alice alone.

**~0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0~**

Of course, in the end, everything turned out all right. But three things still troubled Alice.

First of all, the second heir of Slytherin was never found. Where was he? Was he still alive?

Second, someone had egged the snake on Justin at the duelling club. It was either that, or Harry was lying, which didn't seem likely, so it had to be someone else.

And third, the line of Slytherin went right on. It didn't stop. Riddle's words…

"_Oh, he led an incredibly boring life. He grew up, married a girl, and had a kid. Unlike me, who grew up to become the most powerful wizard in the world!"_

Alice shuddered. The heir of Slytherin was still out there…

…somewhere.

But who was it?

**AN**

**Do you know?**

**Sorry to keep you all waiting. I ran into a writer's block, and I have to thank my sister, who suggested most of this, and my best friend Annya, who supported me. I had to spoil the story for both of them, so this chapter is dedicated to both of them.**

**Please REVIEW!!!**


	13. Year 3: Mr Jacob Black

**Mr. Jacob Black**

Everyone was talking and laughing as they got off the Hogwarts Express.

"So, Rosalie," said Bella, "what about your camp? Still going with the plan?"

"Sure," said Rosalie, "we're going during the FULL MOON, Alice, the full moon. How does that sound to you?"

"Absolutely spiffing," said Alice. Edward didn't look too good.

"Uh, the full moon?" but he was broken off by a shriek from Bella.

"Oh, I forgot, guys, my parents are out today visiting relatives, and they won't be back until Friday. Why don't we all go to my house and have an end-of-the-year party for a week?"

"An end-of-the-year party?" repeated Emmett incredulously, "what's that?"

"You are_ so_ out of date," said Alice, rolling her eyes.

"Oh, so it's a party to celebrate the end of the year?" asked Emmett.

"Exactly. So, what do you say, Rose?"

"I'm in," said Rosalie.

"Me too," chimed in Alice.

Emmett thought for a second. "I'm game."

Jasper looked a little troubled. "Okay, but I may have to leave early"

"And you, Edward?"

"Is there going to be anyone apart from us?" asked Edward.

"Why, yes," frowned Bella, "Jacob Black's going to be here. You know, that really big and muscular fifth year guy in Hufflepuff. He lives quite near. Oh, there he is! Jake! Jake!"

And Bella set off running across the station. Alice saw her embracing a burly fifth year. Three seconds later, she was back with Jacob.

"Say hello to Jacob, guys!" she gushed to the crowd of bewildered second years, clinging onto the huge fifth year's arm. Jacob, towering over all of them, looked down at them with an expression that Alice didn't like.

"So these are your little friends?" he said in that voice that matched Emmett's booms, but much more meaner and mocking than Emmett's.

Alice was indignant. _Little?_ "You listen—" she started to say, puffing herself up, but Rosalie stopped her.

"You'll get beaten into a pulp if you fight," she hissed, "stay calm."

Jacob had his arm around Bella. It was hard to describe the look of anger, jealousy and horror that was registered on Edward's face.

"Shall we go, then?" he said, picking up Bella's trunk for her as easily as he would have picked up his bag. Bella skipped off with him, chattering excitedly.

Alice and Jasper both exchanged a look. "Well," said Alice, trying to laugh off her anger, "that was…well…"

"Rude?" he suggested, as the both of them followed the others through the barrier.

"Well, yeah."

**~0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0~**

Jacob, as it turned out, did not just happen to be rude. He was the most irritating and meanest bully in the playground, not to mention incredibly strong. His muscles bulged out like he had taken muggle steroids, and he was exactly the opposite of Edward.

Edward was medium height and pretty normal looking; Jacob was tall, even for his age, and looked like a freak.

Edward's hair was never tidy; it looked good naturally. Jacob's hair was always smoothed down with what looked like gallons of Sleekeazy's Hair Potion.

And if looks weren't everything, his manners were worst.

Edward always treated Bella like he did with everyone else. Jacob often looked down at them, sneering that disgusting sneer.

Edward always said please, thank you and sorry. Jacob never did; he only said them to Bella.

Edward never swore, never cursed them (unless it was a joke), never insulted the girls, and he didn't mind being with someone from Slytherin (after the argument had died down with Rosalie). Jacob did all of them.

Whenever Bella wasn't looking, he would tease about Emmett looking fat and abnormal for his age. He would laugh at Alice's height, and her shrill voice that 'sounded like a mouse squeaking.' He would sneer at Rosalie, saying that she may be pretty, but looks don't mean anything, and he bet that her brain was made of tofu. He would hold his nose whenever Jasper passed him, and avoided physical touch with him. But worst of all, he was always trying to make trouble for Edward.

"Edward," sighed Bella at dinner on the second day, after Jacob had tripped him up on purpose, causing him to spill the soup, "why are you so clumsy?"

Alice couldn't believe just how someone could have been so mean when Jacob dropped a handful of black cat hair into the noodles she was holding. "Eww," he said, "Brandon, you've got a bad case of growing old!" then he threw back his thick head and laughed.

When they wanted to play a fair game of Quidditch of boys against girls, Jacob interfered, saying that he knew a whole lot of tactics. He then shooed Rosalie Alice to the boy's side, calling: "you're more boy than girl, Hale!"

Bitter and furious at that, Rosalie had left the game, stomping off somewhere else to cry at the blow to her pride.

The others didn't survive much better. It made it no better for Alice when Jasper suddenly announced that he would be leaving on the third day.

"But why?" asked Alice, coming into the boy's room where he was getting ready to leave on the second night. Edward and Emmett were in there as well; 'hiding from that brat downstairs,' as they had put it. He turned and smiled, handing her a slip of paper. She understood immediately: _don't let anyone see. The explanation is in there._

She stayed with him, talking through until eight o'clock, about just how mean Jacob was. Actually, she was the one doing most of the talking; Jasper just listened, as he always did whenever she felt that she had the need to tell him something. Edward and Emmett joined in, telling her more things than she knew. Alice was shocked at just how mean Jacob was.

"How can Bella possibly like him, though?" she finished in an exasperated voice. Jasper merely shrugged.

"Think about it this way," he said, grimacing in pain. The last adventure in the Chamber of Secrets had made it almost impossible to talk without causing great pain, "no one knows why_ you're_ talking to_ me_."

Alice went red. "What do you mean?" she asked, looking down at the floor.

"Well, isn't it the old house enemy thing? And yet, here you sit, talking to me as if I were in Gryffindor."

"Well," flushed Alice, "you're not like that, I mean, you're different—"

"Exactly," he replied, throwing a book into his trunk, "everyone sees things differently. One thing can be many things to different people." He slammed his trunk shut. "And you have to try and understand Bella, Alice. It's not her fault that she likes Jacob. Nor is it Edward or anyone's fault. Who knows; maybe it's just a crush."

Alice nodded glumly. "Well, see you," she said. Jasper raised his eyebrows.

"You sound depressed about something. What is it? Don't you like Jacob?"

"No." she wasn't about to admit what was making her so low-spirited.

"Well, then, see you on September the first." He began to drag his trunk across to the door. Before he reached it, however, the door banged open.

"Leaving, are we?" sneered Jacob.

Jasper made a sort of movement with his hands. It was muggle sign language, Alice realized. So far, Jacob was still under the impression that Jasper couldn't talk.

"What?"

"Leave him alone," said Alice.

"Oh, so Slytherins these days need Gryffindor girls to protect them now?"

Edward and Emmett stood up. Both of them made a great pair, but they were obviously no match for Jacob.

"Get lost, Jacob," said Emmett. Jacob had the honour of having a room all to himself. Jacob looked at Edward.

"Full moon's coming, Masen. Are you afraid?" he turned back to Jasper. "Well, you can send my regards to the heir of Slytherin, Whitlock. Ask them why no one died this time!"

"I'll do that, all right," Jasper broke in. Jacob looked temporarily surprised that he was talking to him, "and I can say, you're talking to him right now. Personally, I'm very sorry that I never had a chance to set the monster on you, Jacob. But I'll make sure I do, so watch your back this year at Hogwarts." He pushed a still-stunned Jacob away with amazing strength, and exited from the room.

There was a stunned silence, in which the colour slowly crept into Jacob's face, and he left the room, slamming the door. A 3 second silence. Then—

"All right!" Edward and Emmett high-fived each other. Alice smiled, "did you see the look on his face, Alice?" Emmett said, cheering, "he was _afraid_, Alice, afraid! Like he really believed that Jasper was the heir of Slytherin! Coward!"

Edward was laughing so hard, he couldn't speak. There was a knock on the door.

"Guys? What's happening in there?" it was Rosalie. Emmett chuckled as he opened the door.

"Hi, Rose. Guess what happened?" Alice watched him as he imitated the looks on Jacob's face. Rosalie joined in laughing, and sat onto Jasper's empty bed. "Ow!" she cried, jumping to her feet.

"Geez, Rose, it's just a book," Alice picked it up. It was an extremely old and battered copy of _Moste Potente Potions._ She frowned. If she had remembered correctly, this was the book that Hermione had used to brew up Polyjuice Potion. So what was it doing here?

"_Moste Potente Potions?_" said Rosalie, looking at it suspiciously. Alice opened the book carefully.

"Ahhh!" Rosalie screamed. On the first page, there was a picture of someone who looked like they had been turned inside out. Alice shuddered and continued to look. There was another one of a witch with arms growing out of her head. Emmett and Edward both looked sickened as the saw someone half-way through a transformation into a beast. _Wolfsbane Potion_? And then she turned the page to where a wizard had tentacles growing from his nostrils…a witch was bubbling away into a puddle of acidic smoke on the floor…another was twisted, her back bent until she stood only three feet high…another who…they seemed to be screaming, withering, calling for her help…

"Alice!" Rosalie snatched the book away from her, "that's enough! If mother ever finds that Jasper's been reading something like this, she'll—she'll—" she broke off, sobbing. Alice shrugged.

"All right."

It was only after she got back to the empty girl's room when she remembered the paper. She opened it eagerly, hoping for something…anything. But she saw, with a pang of disappointment, only a line of words.

_Jacob and Edward might find the potion in Moste Potente Potions, pg 245 very useful._

**~0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0~**

"Girls and boys are in DIFFERENT tents, Bella," Rosalie said firmly.

"Aw," said Bella, disappointed.

"Why'd you want to share a tent with Jacob, anyway?" asked Alice, "You're too young for _that_ sort of stuff."

Bella glowered at her. "Oh, you're one to talk," she snapped, and turned over in her sleeping bag.

Alice sighed. She was indeed the fourth youngest in the gang. Bella was the oldest (unless you counted that piece of filth in, she was second), and she had just celebrated her birthday. Next came Rosalie, then Edward, then her, followed by Emmett and Jasper, last of all. February the fourteenth was not a very ideal day to celebrate her birthday.

They were camping. It was the camp that Rosalie had talked about; it was a camp where they were all in muggle stuff. Rosalie's father was a muggle explorer, and he provided much of the equipment they had needed. It had been a little hard, trying to undo all the knots and everything, but they managed in the end.

Alice heard Bella's slow, even breathing and knew that she was asleep. She turned and saw Rosalie reading, instead of sleeping. Very quietly, she slipped out of bed and peeked over Rosalie's shoulder. She was reading _Moste Potente Potions,_ and looking at the picture of the melting witch.

"Rose?"

Rosalie slammed the book shut. "I—I—I can't believe that anyone would _do_ this," she sobbed. Alice saw tears sliding down her cheeks.

"Calm down, Rose, it's just a picture."

"No, it's not. Didn't you see the cover?" Rosalie handed her the book. On the cover, was written: _real photos, real demonstrations!_

"That's sick, Rosalie, stop reading it."

"Do you know what this is?" Rosalie pointed to the melting witch.

"No."

Rosalie thought for a moment. "Once upon a time," she said, "there was a witch who fell in love with a muggle. But the muggle left her."

"So?"

"The witch was afraid that the muggle might reveal her secret. In order to silence him, she fed him this." She pointed to the words.

"But this is a muggle potion," said Alice, looking at the description.

"Yes." The potion was labelled Aqua Regia.

"Aqua Regia?"

"It's Latin for 'Royal Water,'" said Rosalie, "first discovered in 800 A.D by Abu Musa Jabir ibn Hayyan. It can dissolve just about anything; it's a _very_ strong acid. In fact, this is what caused people—wizards and muggles—to start searching for the Philosopher's Stone. It melts nearly all metal—even gold."

"Well, I don't think you should read this. It's giving you and me the creeps. Give it to me; I'll give it back to Jasper."

Rosalie nodded and gave the book to Alice. "Though I really want to know what Jasper wants in here. It's clearly full of dangerous potions."

When Rosalie had fallen asleep, Alice opened the book and fumbled for the—what was it called? Oh, yeah, a _flashlight_— and turned it to page 245. What she saw was confusing.

It was the Wolfsbane Potion. Disappointed and confused, she shut the book and lay back down to bed.

But the picture of the melting witch stayed in Alice's mind all through the night, making her way into her dreams, crying for her help…

_Help me…help me…_

**~0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0~**

"I have to go home," said Edward. He was pale and trembling all over.

Rosalie raised her eyebrows. "Loosen up, Ed. It's probably just stomach ache."

"No," he panted, "I'm really sick."

They all decided to call off the camp. As soon as they got back to Rosalie's house (which took a long time, as Edward kept on throwing up on the way and Jacob kept complaining that Edward stank), Emmett and Rosalie supported Edward towards the bedroom.

"Oh, well," said Jacob cheerfully, "camp ruined by Edward. Next time, then. Bella, would you like to come on a camp with me? Just the two of us, where we won't be disturbed by illness?"

"Ooh, yes!" gushed Bella, "I'd love to!"

"Well, then, in that case," said Rosalie, "see you next term, Bella."

Bella beamed and waved as she went away, arm in arm with Jacob.

As soon as they were gone, Emmett exploded.

"I can't believe it of her!" he shouted, "That is crossing way over the boundary line!"

"I know," sighed Alice, as they helped Edward into bed, "but maybe she sees something in him that she doesn't see in Edward."

"What I'd like to know," gasped Edward, "is when she started meeting him!" then he retched again.

"Honestly. Did you hear him complaining? Friends don't complain about each other."

"No, they don't," agreed Emmett.

"Well, I hope the heir of Slytherin is still at school," said Edward savagely, "and I wish I knew who he or she was. Then I'd really have them setting the monster on Jacob."

Rosalie laughed. "You don't know what you're talking about, Edward."

"Oh, yes I do!" he threw up again. Emmett rolled his eyes at the ceiling.

"Well, I hope so, too."

**~0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0~**

"So, in all, Edward didn't have such a nice holiday?"

Alice giggled. "No," she said, "in fact, he was swearing that he'd kill Jacob if only he was allowed to use his wand! He even said that he wished the heir of Slytherin would attack Jacob!"

Jasper smiled humourlessly. "Well, nice to see him putting up a good competition."

Once again, Alice found herself on the Hogwarts Express. Except today, she was alone in a single compartment with Jasper. Jacob had insisted on sitting with Bella, and this size of his buttocks squeezed both of them out. Alice had been almost hopping for the term to begin; two months with Jacob had been almost unbearable. Now, she stared at Jasper sitting right opposite of her, and somehow, she couldn't have felt happier. But there was something that didn't quite fit…she wondered why, but something was terribly wrong. Apart from shooting taller another five inches or so, Jasper hadn't changed at all over the summer. So what was wrong?

"Are you okay?" Jasper had noticed her staring. Alice snapped out of her trance.

"No, I'm fine." Winter snuggled up into her lap. The white kitten had grown into a fine, sleek cat; her movements were as light and graceful as anything. Jasper reached forward and stroked her behind her ears. Winter purred loudly.

"Cute, isn't she?" Alice beamed.

"Very," Jasper responded.

The door opened and Edward came in, followed by Rosalie and Emmett. Alice could hardly hold back the irritation that she was feeling.

"What is it?" she asked, knowing the answer.

"Black," said Edward.

"As in, Jacob or Sirius Black?" asked Jasper.

"Both," said Rosalie grumpily.

"Well," said Emmett, "is anyone in for wizard chess?"

Only Rosalie and Edward were game, so Alice sighed as they began another bloody battle on the board. Then she suddenly remembered the book.

"Jasper," she said, trying to sound stern, but feeling curious, "what did you mean by the Wolfsbane potion?"

Jasper was about to reply when Edward whipped his head around and glared at him. "Nothing," he shrugged, "just about more extra potions."

Alice felt that he was lying somehow. But before she could protest, the train started to slow down.

"What the—" she started to say. Rosalie looked around, alarmed.

"We can't be there yet…" the train came to an abrupt stop.

Edward frowned and poked his head out and into the corridor. "I don't think so…no one's getting off."

Without warning, all the all the lamps went off, plunging them into half darkness. Emmett began wiping a spot on the window.

"Someone's getting onto the train…dunno who it is…"

A strange, sudden chill began to creep over Alice. She could see that the others felt it, too.

"Dementors," said Jasper finally after a minute's of silence.

Rosalie gasped in horror. "_Dementors?_"

"Probably looking for Black," muttered Edward.

Alice knew only vaguely that the dementors were the guards of Azkaban. She had no idea why they should be here, save for looking for Sirius Black, the only one know to ever break out of the wizard prison.

"Well, they'd better get over it quickly," said Rosalie, "They give me the creeps…"

Then the door suddenly opened. A dark, hooded figure was standing there. A clammy, glistening hand slid out, like flesh decayed in water. Alice shivered…and suddenly felt as if she'd never be happy again. The feeling was so strong…the Dementor drew in a cold, rattling breath…

And from somewhere in her mind, she heard Riddle's voice, as if he was right beside her.

…_**but then, you are not really important to me, Alice. I just wondered who could possibly try to trick me into saying that their name was Lucy. And now, you will die here…**_

…_**unlike me, who grew up to become the most powerful wizard in the world…**_

…_**welcome to the real Chamber of Secrets… **_

…_**but Slytherin has many more of them…**_

Screams in the dark.

**AN**

**Well, this is a pretty Edward-and-Bella year. And if you are Team Jacob, then I suggest you to stop reading. Because I'm Team Edward.**

**Again, this is dedicated to both Annya and my sister.**

**Please REVIEW!!!**


	14. I'm Going To China

**I'm Going To China**

Alice and groaned when she saw her schedule. "Divination? I can't think of a better way to start this term…"

"Well, cheer up," said Emmett, his mouth full of toast, "I'm going to take the bloody subject as well. More jam, Edward?"

Edward chose not to answer, as Jacob just passed by, kissing Bella lightly on her head before going. Alice wrinkled her nose in disgust.

The 'bloody subject' that Emmett had referred to turned out to be the lousiest subjects in the world. Alice stared into Emmett's tea leaves, trying to see if something would jump out at her…

"There's nothing here," groaned Alice, after she had drunk the incredibly disgusting tea and peering into it, "I can't believe that I ever took up something like this…"

Jasper and Emmett didn't answer to this. Emmett was started to suggest that perhaps the trick was to break the teacup.

"This is hopeless," said Emmett, after staring into the pieces of broken china, "you, Jasper?"

"Yeah, there's a burn on the table," said Jasper, pointing, "someone's spilt their candle…does that mean that Hogwarts will go up in flames tonight?"

"Better, in Malfoy's bed," muttered Alice.

"I wouldn't hope for that. I sleep three beds away.

"Let's just try to imagine something…" said Emmett in a hopeless voice.

"Nah, can't see or imagine anything," Jasper said after ten minutes of gazing into Emmett's new cup, "only a puddle of tealeaves…maybe you're going to China someday?"

Emmett choked back a laugh. "I'd like that."

"And the cup's made from china, made in China…you're _definitely_ going to China. Here, you try mine…"

Two tables away, Hermione was making tut-tuts, making it impossible for Alice to concentrate on Jasper's cup of tealeaves.

"I have no idea…that looks like a lightening…that means great evil and hardships ahead, I guess…"

"You need your inner eye checked," Jasper muttered. Alice grinned and passed her cup to Emmett. But before Emmett could do anything, however, Professor Trelawney was there.

"Dear me," she said, taking Alice's cup, "let me see…ah, I can see the rose, the flower of love! The romantic flower! Dear child, you already have someone you like, do you not?"

Everyone was staring at her. Alice, feeling the flush working from her face, could all but look down at her feet, embarrassed.

"Wait, dear, what's this? Ah, this is the river of time…your love will be true, but only time will show you that, and how true your love is. In fact, it is a test of time. And ahead, there is great danger, and a decision, an important decision that will force you to choose carefully…"

"The only important decision I am seeing now," Alice said to Emmett and Jasper as they climbed down the spiral staircase to their next class, Transfigurations, "is whether or not to drop that loony subject before the old bat gets to me."

Emmett laughed. "Well, okay. Same here, you know. I didn't see any danger in your cup; it looked perfectly normal to me…"

"Maybe I'm going to China with you."

"So you're just going to avoid China for Professor Trelawney's sake?" Rosalie asked Alice as they got their turtles from Professor McGonagall.

"Nope," said Alice, trying to keep her fingers away from the turtle, "I couldn't see a thing in Jasper's cup…I was making everything up. And Hermione kept on whispering about what a loony subject it was. Personally, I agree with her."

"What?" Rosalie frowned at Alice, "Hermione was in Ancient Runes with me. So was Jasper. What are you talking about?"

"What are _you_ talking about?" Alice stared, "_I_ shared a table with Jasper! Ask Emmett yourself!"

Rosalie looked suspicious as she turned to Emmett.

"Emmett, did you—"

"I'm going to China, Rose!" Emmett said excitedly. _Retarded fool,_ thought Alice with dry amusement.

"What?" said Rosalie blankly.

"I'm going to China, I'm going to China, I'm going to China…" Emmett sang. The whole class stared at him. Professor McGonagall took five points from Gryffindor for that.

**~0o0o0o0o0o0o0~**

"I don't see any point in that," said Bella, leaning across to look at Rosalie's runes.

"Me either," admitted Rosalie, digging in her bag for her dictionary, "I don't get this thing…" she flipped the huge book open and began to translate.

Alice, meanwhile, pored over her Divination homework, _The History and Uses of Palmistry._ It was incredibly boring and long, and she was tired. Emmett kept on looking over her shoulder to copy her work, earning him several looks from Edward.

"When have we got Defence against the Dark Arts?" asked Alice, stifling a yawn.

"Tomorrow," said Edward, "first class of the day…the new teacher seems to be good, though."

"Good?" said Fred and George Weasley, "What do you mean, good? He's fantastic!"

"We'll see," said Alice, scrunching up her third attempt of trying to draw a hand.

"Looks like he's been through a lot, doesn't he?" said Fred.

"Spanking good teacher. You'll see; he makes Lockhart and Quirrel seem like wimps."

"You don't know how right you are," muttered Bella.

**~0o0o0o0o0o0o0~**

Professor Lupin's classes were indeed very interesting. They made up for Alice's other disastrous classes, which were very disastrous indeed.

Potions had not improved one bit. Snape was forever framing the Gryffindors for all sorts of mistakes while the Slytherins sniggered. Needless to say, Alice made the worst potions. It was even worst than Neville's.

"We will be making the Shrinking Potion again," said Snape on their first lesson, "I will see how much you have improved…" his gaze slid wordlessly to Jasper, Ron and Alice, who willed her mouth not to turn up at the corners. She caught sight of Jasper looking guilty, as the memory of what had happened last time occurred to them. Draco Malfoy had been very…shrunk indeed after the only two successful potions in the class had been pored over his head. Unfortunately, the potions were _slightly_ too strong, causing him to turn into a 'Minus.' Alice sighed and began to set to work. Her memory was very vague, though; the last time she had made anything like it, she had been terrified.

"If anyone dares to mess around with overdoses of leech juice," Snape said as they worked, "I will _make sure_ they're expelled."

As she chopped up her daisy roots, she overheard Malfoy and Harry talking about Sirius Black. She leaned in, interested.

"Don't you _know,_ Potter?"

"Know what?" demanded Harry.

Malfoy began to say something, but they were interrupted by Snape. Alice turned back to her potion and added only ONE pint of leech juice. She wasn't going to do anything.

Then across the room, Snape passed Jasper's potion. Goyle, who was sitting beside him, gave his cauldron a great push.

And Alice could only watch as the cauldron tipped right over and onto Snape, who began to shrink into his robes..

…and disappeared.

**~0o0o0o0o0o0o0~**

"Not even detention? Nothing?"

"Nothing," said Jasper, looking for his Arithmancy book, "you forget that Snape favours Slytherins. Aha, here it is…"

The both of them were in the library. It was Halloween, and everyone else had gone off to Hogsmeade. Alice, however, had lost her permission slip tragically, and was therefore banned from going. Now, she could only sit in the library, trying to get some work done with Jasper.

"But I thought he was going to expel you…"

"It wasn't leech juice this time, Alice, it was the number of shrivelfigs in the potion."

Alice rolled her eyes and started on her astronomy essay. "Trust you to do something like that…" she muttered.

"Oh, it wasn't anything. It was a little bit of muggle chemistry."

"What?"

"Chemistry, you know. It's like a function: you add something on this side, and then you have to add something the same amount onto the other side to make both sides equal. Well, same goes for the potion."

"You are hopeless," said Alice, shaking her head in irritation at something so complicated. Jasper hastily changed the subject.

"So why aren't you at Hogsmeade?"

"Lost my permission slip," said Alice, crossing out a moon grumpily.

"The big one's the Titan, Alice, and those two are Rhea and Iapetus, and you've mixed up Mimas and Dione. And Enceladus isn't that big; it's only one fourth of the moon. And—" he stopped abruptly, seeing the look on Alice's face.

"Sorry?" Alice snapped, pushing her sweaty hair out of her face, "I don't understand know-it-all talks, Jasper, so no thanks. You might like to try Hermione, though; she'll understand you. But I don't, and I'm going back to finish this somewhere where I won't be disturbed by people like you."

She said all this very fast as she pushed her chair in and began to gather her books, trying to avoid his eyes. Why was she being so mean? As Alice stumbled out of the library, she permitted herself to take one last look back at Jasper. When she saw the hurt on his face, she felt even guiltier. But the words were already said, and nothing could take them back.

**~0o0o0o0o0o0o0~**

"Brought everything we could," said Emmett, tipping a bag full of candy onto Alice's potions essay.

"Thanks," she said, picking one of them up and examining it carefully, "so what's Hogsmeade like?"

Rosalie gave her a dark look. "Would've been better without Jacob Black."

"Why, what happened?"

"He _kissed_ Bella in front of everyone," seethed Edward, "in the Three Broomsticks."

"And what was Bella's reaction?"

Emmett swelled. "_SHE KISSED HIM BACK!_"

"Holy moly," gasped Alice, "did she really?"

"And then we told them that if they wanted to do it, it was best to do it somewhere else," said Rosalie scathingly, "and Jacob's like, 'go and kiss your ass,' to me. Can you believe it?"

"So where's she now?" asked Alice, looking around.

"Not here. Come on, let's go down to the feast…"

Alice saw Bella with Jacob after the feast, arm in arm, and incredibly, lip with lip. Luckily, no one seemed to notice them. Alice didn't try to look at Edward, knowing that there'd be some ugly look there. Glancing at the Slytherin table, she saw, with a pang of –jealousy?— several Slytherin girls flirting with Jasper, who had an annoyed and irritated look on his face that they had mistaken for affection. Rosalie noticed this.

"What's it with him?" she muttered to Alice.

Alice just shrugged. "Perhaps he's discovered that he has a taste for Slytherins," she said offhandedly. Rosalie gave her a suspicious look, but otherwise said nothing as they went back upstairs. However, the staircase was blocked. Everyone was crowding to see what was causing the holdup.

And then Peeves zoomed out of nowhere.

"SIRIUS BLACK!" he screeched, pelting them with ink bottles, "SIRIUS BLACK ATTACKED THE FAT LADY! RUN FOR YOUR STINKING LIVES, IF YOU VALUE THEM!"

"Is this a joke?" Alice muttered to Rosalie.

"Most likely," said Rosalie, frowning. Emmett was chuckling; _he_ obviously thought it was one. Edward wasn't looking very convinced, though.

That was when Dumbledore and a few other teachers came running. As they formed a passageway, Alice craned her head to look over at the canvas, which had been slashed viciously

**~0o0o0o0o0o0o0~**

The next few weeks that followed were some of the worst for Alice.

First, Gryffindor lost against Hufflepuff in the Quidditch match. Harry Potter had fallen off his broom when the dementors had attacked him, and Cedric Diggory caught the snitch shortly after he fell. Alice secretly thought that Cedric looked a little like Edward, but she didn't say anything.

Secondly, it took just all of Alice's nerves and patience not to scream whenever she saw Bella walking arm-in-arm with Jacob. Jacob had started feeding Bella lies about her friends.

"Alice stole your books," he'd whisper to her frequently, or

"Emmett told the teachers lies about you," or

"Rosalie signed you up for Quidditch tryouts…"

And then, of course, he'd go and do all those things himself.

Bella started to have quarrels with her friends, blaming them for all the things they had never done before. She would only believe Jacob's words. The quarrels gradually faded into silence, when she chose to ignore them for good.

And if worst, it was the relationship between Alice and Jasper, which was getting worst within every passing day. What made everything worst was that she _couldn't _find the courage to apologize. And she hardly saw him now days, and when she did, he was often surrounded by many other Slytherins in the library, most of them being the likes of Draco Malfoy, so she hardly dared to approach him.

"Just go and make up for it," sighed Rosalie three days Christmas when she told her.

""But I can't, Rose, I can't. I don't know why."

"He'll forgive you," assured Edward, "remember last time? He never brought the argument ever again. Go on, Alice."

"You might want to do it before he goes home for the holidays," suggested Emmett.

Alice looked doubtful. A smile spread across Rosalie's face, and Alice knew that something was up.

"Alice, go ahead and do it if you want to go out with him on Valentines Day."

"What?" Alice looked at her, a flush creeping all over her face. Emmett grinned.

"Wow, you look just like a tomato, Alice!"

Alice ignored him.

"Well," said Rosalie, "you _do_ want to, don't you?"

"I can't believe it of you, Rose!" wailed Alice, covering her face.

"Am I right?"

Alice nodded shamefully and began to sob.

"Alice, don't cry!" said Emmett, alarmed, "it's only _natural,_ Alice. We're not Jacob, we're your friends, and friends don't laugh at each other for perfectly normal things like this!"

"Cheer up, Alice," said Rosalie, "I was just teasing you."

Then someone far more displeasing turned up. It was Ron, and he was very angry indeed.

"Where's Scabbers?" he yelled at her.

"Who?" Alice frowned.

Ron's eyes fell on Winter, who was playing with Rosalie's hair, "Scabbers is gone!"

"Haven't seen him," grumbled Edward.

"What's a _Scabbers?_" asked Rosalie.

"Ron's rat," said Emmett, "probably ran away…"

"Why'd he run away?"

"I'd run away from you, if I were Scabbers," said Alice scathingly.

"You girls are so weird," said Ron huffily, "whoever said that cats were allowed? First you, then Hermione…"

"_We haven't touched him, okay?_" Alice retorted angrily.

"And whoever said _rats_ were allowed?" demanded Edward. Ron stomped away angrily.

"I'd watch out for him if I were you, Alice," said Rosalie, "but are you going to apologize?"

**AN**

**Expect the next one on Valentines. **

**Please REVIEW!!!**


	15. Valentine's Day

**Valentine's Day**

"…_the big one's the Titan, Alice, and those two are Rhea and Iapetus, and you've mixed up Mimas and Dione. And Enceladus isn't that big; it's only one fourth of the moon…"_

"…_I'd watch out for him if I were you, Alice, but are you going to apologize…?"_

But Alice never did apologize. She never even had the chance.

First, Christmas came. Bella and Jacob left. So did Edward, leaving Emmett, Rosalie and Alice alone at Hogwarts. Rosalie was fine for most of the time, but Emmett was still convinced that he was going to China, and even started to make plans.

"Come on," he'd beg Rosalie, who kept on calling him a dreamer, "we can go in the summer holidays, Rose, it won't be _that_ bad…and Bella's drooling all over Jacob… "

Personally, Alice saw no harm in letting Emmett dream on, but Rosalie expressed her feelings by throwing carefully frozen snowballs at Emmett's plans, which went up in water, not smoke. Alice flipped a few pages in her Transfiguration book with disinterest, trying to read something while Rosalie and Emmett fought over whether or not to go to China.

"Oh, stop it, both of you," Alice said finally on the last day of the Christmas holidays, "Emmett can go to China _alone_ if he likes, Rose, so stop stopping him. Isn't anyone allowed some peace around here?"

They eventually shut up, leaving Alice alone in her thoughts. The guilt that she had felt from the beginning of the holidays was still there, making her grouchy. She was liable to set off yelling at Rosalie and Emmett for no reason at all. Then she'd feel really bad and retreat back to her dormitory.

Maybe it was because she had nothing to do, but it was a relief when the new term finally started. The usual bustle of everyday life took her mind off matters.

"Did you do it?" Edward asked her when he came back. Alice saw that he must've been ill; he was even more tired looking than she had ever seen him, and his face was a pale as an albino's.

"No," she sighed, "I don't have the guts, Edward. I'm actually a coward."

"Don't say that," he comforted her, "maybe it'll turn out to be well in the end…"

But no, it didn't. Whenever Alice now saw a group of Slytherins come, she would run in the opposite direction as fast as she could. There was never a chance to talk to him in Divination, because he had dropped the subject that term; nor did she do it in potions, as Professor Snape had disappeared, and still wasn't back; Jasper's Shrinking Potions had him gone, and there was no telling how long they had to wait before he was back.

Only one thing made it endurable for Alice; she had finally found her permission slip to Hogsmeade—it was stuffed in her old Herbology book. How it got there, Alice couldn't imagine. But the next Hogsmeade trip was on Valentine's Day, and it was drawing nearer and nearer within every single passing day. Everywhere, she could see boys and girls asking each other out to the Three Broomsticks or some other place she had never heard before.

"We're going out together!" Rosalie informed Alice a week before Valentines, 'we' as being her and Emmett.

"Congratulations," said Alice glumly. Rosalie guessed her thoughts.

"Come on, Alice, get a grip. There are plenty of other boys in the school apart from him. There's still Edward, if you'd like to choose."

"What?" Alice couldn't believe her ears.

"He's going to ask you out soon," winked Emmett, "he would prefer to go out with you instead of another girl, because we're just friends. He says that he's still waiting for Bella to snap out of it."

"But—but—" Alice spluttered.

"Think yourself as lucky," suggested Rosalie, "Edward's one _hot_ guy in the school. Some people have started to compare him to that Hufflepuff, Cedric Diggory; if he were only a little older!"

"Diggory?"

"Okay," said Emmett, "drop it about Jasper, Alice. Hermione Granger already asked him out."

Alice's mouth dropped open. "What?"

"Well, apparently, Hermione got into a fight with Ron over the cat stuff, you know, and they were going out together, but they cancelled it."

"No!" said Alice. _Hermione Granger?_ With a pang of horror, she remembered her last words to him.

"_Sorry? I don't understand know-it-all talks, Jasper, so no thanks. You might like to try Hermione, though; she'll understand you. But I don't, and I'm going back to finish this somewhere where I won't be disturbed by people like you..."_

"No…" she moaned again, "what have I done? He said yes, didn't he?"

Rosalie nodded gravely. "I overheard their conversation yesterday. No, in fact, just about the whole school knows about it apart from you. You should have heard Draco Malfoy at breakfast: _Going out with a mudblood, Whitlock? I don't think much of your choice!_"

"How _could_ he?"hissed Alice_._

"Well, that's what I asked him," said Rosalie, "and all he said was '_Rosalie, that's what she told me to do! Ask her if she's satisfied now…_' did you?"

Alice nodded. "Yeah, I did. It's my fault, I screwed this whole thing up."

Edward did indeed come to ask her out to Valentine's Day. Alice didn't know who else would ask her, so she agreed half-heartedly. Edward, it seemed, hadn't seemed too eager about it, either. But since there was nothing for it, the two of them set off to Hogsmeade on February the fourteenth.

"So…" said Edward, "do you want to go to the Three Broomsticks? They have the best butterbeer there…" Alice nodded, her teeth chattering.

The both of them went into the shop and ordered two butterbeers. The liquid warmed Alice, but she still felt uncomfortable, being around so many kissing people.

"Not in the mood?" asked Edward.

Alice grinned sheepishly. "Well, kissing at my age is going too far. How's it with Bella?"

"Oh, she's still the same," said Edward lightly, as if he didn't care, "not speaking to me, not even writing a letter…I suppose Jacob Black is one hell of a character, huh?"

"Yeah…" they drank their butterbeers in silence. Then Draco Malfoy came along.

"Ooh," he said, looking at the two of them, "Masen and Brandon…well, well, it looks as if you've finally found someone from your own house, Brandon?"

"Speak again, Malfoy," said Edward through clenched, "and I'll beat the daylights out of you."

"Ooh, who's to talk?" Crabbe and Goyle chose to appear at that moment, cracking their knuckles.

"Excuse me," said another voice. Malfoy turned and laughed.

"Brandon! Masen, you two are going to be _so_…"

"Get out of the way," snarled Jasper. Alice winced when he did that; for a moment, something in his expression and voice reminded her of Tom Riddle last year. Bella, amazingly, was standing beside him. Alice could see Emmett and Rosalie behind them. Malfoy took one look at Emmett and _scampered._

"Well, if it isn't Bella," said Alice, looking at Bella. She blushed and looked down.

"I—I just wanted to apologize to you all," she said, "for being so mean to you last term…I don't know how I could have believed that you all did those disastrous things. I now know that you didn't. I'm sorry. Will you all forgive me?"

"Um, one question, Bella," said Emmett, "how did Jacob react to this?"

"Oh, I broke up with him…I found that he was seeing three other girls at the same time." Bella hung her head.

"Oh, Bella, don't be sad!" both Rosalie and Alice flung their arms around Bella, "we'll still be friends no matter what." Bella drew away, looking awkward.

"Well…" said Alice, "would you like to have a butterbeer, Bella?" she was trying to avoid Jasper's eyes, who was talking to Edward about their history essay. Bella agreed, and soon, the three of them were all laughing about Emmett's attempts to go to China. The afternoon wore away, and she joined the other two girls as they talked about _nothing_ but _boys,_ while the boys talked about _anything_ but girls.

What an exciting birthday this was turning out to be.

**~0o0o0o0o0o0o0~**

"Scabbers! Look at this, Hermione! And you, Alice!"

Ron was shaking a bed sheet at Alice and Hermione. Alice raised her eyebrows at the stained bed sheets in his hand.

"Looks like someone had their period, Ron. What's the big deal?"

"PERIOD?" Ron shrieked, his eyes bugging, "these are _my_ sheets!"

All around, people were sniggering. Alice willed herself not to laugh.

"AND YOU KNOW WHAT WAS ON THE CARPET?"

Alice and Hermione shook their heads. Ron threw something onto the table.

"CAT HAIRS!" Ron was breathing heavily through his nose.

"So? Could be there since Christmas, Ron…" Hermione looked a little sceptical.

As Hermione and Ron continued to rant at each other, Alice pulled her astronomy homework towards her. Instantly, a lump formed in her throat for no particular reason.

_Remember, Alice: the big one's the Titan, followed by Rhea and Iapetus; and don't mix up Mimas and Dione. And Enceladus is only one fourth of the moon…_what great advice, Alice thought irritably. But it was only seconds later before she had screwed up another drawing of Venus.

"GIRLS! ALWAYS STICKING UP FOR YOUR STUPID CATS—"

Alice lost it. Scrunching up her picture, she lobbed it right into Ronald Weasley's face.

"**CAN'T YOU EVER SHUT UP ABOUT Scabbers? HE WAS A STUPID RAT, JUST AS STUPID AS YOU! BOYS! ESPECIALLY YOU, ALWAYS STICKING UP FOR YOUR STINKING RAT!"**

It had been rather satisfying, Alice thought that night as she climbed into bed. But then, she thought, it was probably time to apologize.

**~0o0o0o0o0o0o0~**

Alice twisted her hands fretfully as she made her way to the library, to where a bunch of Slytherins were sitting, as usual. They had their heads together, and seemed in some sort of deep conversation. Alice edged closer from behind a bookcase, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"…and father says that Potter might try something if he ever knew, but the Twizard Wizard Tournament is going to take off his head, it'll finish the Dark Lord's job for him," Draco Malfoy was saying. The Slytherins all listened with interest, except for Jasper, who said coldly, not looking up from translating ancient runes: "well, your father obviously have a lot of trust in Voldemort, in that case."

"Of course he does, what do you mean?"

"Hurry up and finish that essay on werewolves," was his only reply. Malfoy smirked, but continued to copy from a five-page essay. Alice felt a pang of anger; copying was the last thing she'd do to finish an essay…

"…and perhaps we will have—"

Alice peeked out from behind the bookcase and cleared her throat, trying to get Jasper's attention, but Malfoy's next words drowned out the sound.

"…maybe I'll be transferred to Durmstrang, perhaps, if I'm lucky. They teach real stuff there, not like how Lupin teaches…"

"Perhaps," said Alice, stepping out from behind the shelf, "you'd learn more here, Malfoy, if you paid more attention in class."

The Slytherins looked surprised, but Malfoy merely smiled. "So what do you want this time?" he asked her with a sneer. Alice ignored him and looked directly at Jasper.

"I want to have a word."

Jasper got up and followed her outside, amid the _oohs_ and _ahs_ from the Slytherins. As soon as the two of them were out of the library, Alice opened her mouth, but Jasper was quicker.

"Alice, look, I'm sorry about what happened the other day, but maybe it's going to be better this way." There was no hint of any humour in his eyes, although they were soft.

Alice's mouth dropped open. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, perhaps it would be better if we stopped seeing each other this frequently."

"Why, though?" whispered Alice, "why? Is it some other—other—" she couldn't bring herself to say it, but Jasper guessed her thoughts.

"No, it's not some other girl. Things would be so much easier if that was the case."

"What is it, then?" she asked. Jasper frowned, considering his answer carefully.

"Let's put it this way…Alice, do you believe that Harry will one day defeat Lord Voldemort?"

Alice winced when he mentioned the name, but otherwise nodded.

"Okay, so you have faith in him. Do you know what will happen to Voldemort's supporters, the ones who live in the end?"

"Well," said Alice, flustered, "I suppose they'll be locked up or something—"

"Exactly." Alice stared at him.

"What do you mean, I still don't understand—"

"You're not _meant_ to understand, Alice, you're just supposed to _know_ this possibility."

"But I still don't see what this has got to do with this!" said Alice, very frustrated. Jasper closed his eyes very briefly.

"Alice, how do you like being locked up with dementors?"

"How—how dare you!" said Alice shakily, "_I_ don't support Voldemort, what are you talking about?"

"This is going the wrong way," Jasper muttered to himself, "this isn't right…" he turned his attention back to Alice, "Alice, _everyone_ who has taken part in Voldemort's plans will be sent to Azkaban, _everyone._ And that doesn't only mean Death Eaters, Alice; that includes their relatives, anyone who has been talking to them. It's for your own good, Alice. Believe me. I'm much, much closer to Voldemort than you think. It's for the best." He turned and went back into the library, leaving Alice very tearful and confused.

"It didn't go well then, did it?" Bella said a soon as she saw Alice's face. Alice said nothing; just dropped down into a chair.

"What happened?" asked Rosalie, as her knight dragged Emmett's kind off the board and began to beat him up.

"He…accepted my apology, but he wanted to leave things the way they were," said Alice.

"What?" said Edward.

"He seemed to think that it was for the best."

"I'm going for him," said Rosalie, pushing back her sleeves, "I'm going to rip him into—"

"Hold on," said Emmett, pulling her back, "cool down, Rose. Maybe he _has_ fancied someone else, Alice, and hitting him over the head a hundred times won't make anything better, Rose."

Rosalie opened her mouth to argue, but Bella cut her off, frowning as she thought.

"Maybe…maybe it really _is_ better this way…but how?"

Good question, thought Alice. How?

**AN**

**If this chapter sucks a little, sorry. I'm all light-headed now…I just kissed my crush thirty minutes ago. All dreamy…**

**And I updated my profile icon! It's now a picture of Cedric Diggory…aka Edward Cullen. Please check it out and tell me what you think!**

**Happy Valentine's Day!**

**Please REVIEW!!!**


	16. Wolf Tales

**Wolf Tales**

It seemed like the end of Alice and Jasper's friendship. The third year was turning out to be the lousiest and saddest year for Alice.

It wasn't that she had no friends to comfort her. Rosalie and Bella were sympathetic; they told Alice that she'd get over it sooner or later, and maybe the whole affair was just a joke. Emmett and Edward didn't try to cheer her at all; in fact, the both of them reminded Alice so much of the past times she had with Jasper that she broke down in tears every time they did.

But perhaps the thing that made her saddest was knowing how much both they and Dumbledore had valued their friendship. Professor Binns, the history teacher had gone as far as to saying that Slytherin had put a curse, so that no Slytherin would ever befriend a Gryffindor. This statement was followed by Professor Binns claiming that it was a load of tosh. If so, Alice thought, that the curse was really there, then Dumbledore must have been delighted to see it broken. But now it was back again.

One night, she went up to the owlery to send a letter back home. She could have easily borrowed Teddy, Rosalie's owl, or even Muffin, which was Bella's, except that she wanted peace from everyone, so she snuck up to the owlery when she was sure that everyone was asleep.

As she tied her letter to the tawny owl's leg, her thoughts flashed back to the first time that she had received a letter from Jasper.

…_if you call him something cute, he will bite you._

Tears began rolling down Alice's cheeks slowly as she watched the owl fly off into the black, inky sky. She hastily wiped them away, but more came, until her sleeve was all wet.

"Are you all right?"

Alice jumped and looked around. To her great surprise, Dumbledore was standing right behind her.

"I'm sorry sir—I'll—I'll go back to bed." She began to go.

"Alice, is there anything wrong?"

Alice looked up in surprise. Dumbledore didn't seem very angry; on the contrary, he was looking sympathetic.

"No, sir, I mean—"

She looked down at her feet again.

"—there's nothing wrong." She finished sadly.

"Alice, the loss of one friend is not permanent."

Alice looked quickly up at him.

"As I remember, a muggle actor once said: 'nothing is permanent in this wicked world, not even our troubles.' I think it must have been Charlie Chaplin. In fact, Alice, a friendship without arguments is not a good friendship at all."

"I don't understand."

"Think about it this way, Alice…" Dumbledore's eyes were soft, "if two people had were always very close and never had any arguments, do you think that is possible? No, it is not. No two people are ever the same. One person must have been shutting away their own ideas in order to maintain that friendship, but alas, that is not the _true_ meaning of friendship, Alice. Friendship is to understand each other, to know each other's feelings. It is not to listen entirely to the other."

Alice tried to wipe the tears away, but her sleeve was now so wet, it didn't make any difference.

"He said," Alice gulped, "he thought that it was for the best."

"What is?"

"That things were probably better this way." The floodgate opened again.

"Alice, you should be happy. This is a sign that shows he really cares for you."

Alice looked up at him, surprised.

"There are many, many secrets that a person can hold, whether it is their past, or their parentage, or other things they might have done. There too, are many things that can separate two people. I happen to know what it is that makes him want to act as he did, but I will not tell you, because it is not mine to say. It is for Jasper alone to tell you when he feels that the time is right. But I will tell you this much: there is a reason for his actions, and one day, perhaps, he will tell you, but only when he is ready to do so. And he still cares for you. There is no reason to worry about that right now, Alice. Some day, it will turn out to be all right. Now, unless I am wrong, your other friends have their own secrets that they will reveal to you one day."

Alice tried to read those amazingly blue eyes, but found nothing.

"And now, it's time for you to go to bed now, Alice. Sleep is more important than you think."

The last thing Alice wanted to do was to go back to bed, but the second to last thing she wanted to do was to argue with Dumbledore, especially as she had just gotten off detention for being out of bed.

**~0o0o0o0o0o0o0~**

When Alice saw Edward, she knew that something was wrong immediately. He kept on twisting his fingers, looking more nervous than Alice had ever seen him.

"What's up?" asked Bella, sitting next to him and pulling out her Transfigurations homework.

Edward took a deep breath. "I've got something to tell you all," he choked.

"Well, spit it out," said Rosalie, looking at him carefully.

"Not here." Why was he looking so agitated?

Emmett raised his eyebrow. "So soon?"

"Hey!" said Alice, realizing something, "_both_ of you know, and you haven't bothered telling us?" then Dumbledore's words came back to her:

_Now, unless I am wrong, your other friends have their own secrets that they will reveal to you one day._

…_when they feel that the time is right._

"Well, where else?" asked Rosalie, looking at the time, "It's almost ten o'clock, Edward."

"And tomorrow's Saturday. You won't miss anything. Come on…"

And he proceeded to the portrait.

"What, we're going _out?_" asked Bella, frowning.

"Yes."

"I'm not sure this is a good idea, Edward…" Emmett started to say.

"Dumbledore said so."

"Dumbledore said _what?_" asked Alice.

"You'll see."

The corridor was deserted, apart from the five of them. Edward led them all the way into an empty classroom.

"Edward, what's going on?" Rosalie asked.

Edward turned to them. "Emmett, be quiet. This is mine to say." He turned to the other three, "I didn't want to do this, but Dumbledore suggested me to, so…" he trailed off and looked down.

"Well?" asked Alice, starting to feel cold.

"It's just that…how can I say this?"

"Well, start from the beginning," offered Emmett.

"Good idea, Emmett…" Edward sat down at a desk. The others followed, "when I was four," he said, still not looking at them, "My parents got into a huge argument. It was horrible: dad kept on throwing things across the room and hitting mum, and mum just kept on crying. At one point, he hit mum with a blow so hard, I wanted to help mum. But no, dad got to me first, and then he picked me up and threw me all the way outside. And then I decided to run away from home."

"Big deal," said Rosalie, "_I_ tried to do that as well."

"Well yeah…except I don't think you tried to do it in the middle of the night. After I came home, the both of them were so overcome with grief, they forgot their argument."

"What, why?"

"Well, for one, I ran away during the full moon."

Alice laughed. "What, with the full moon?"

"Exactly."

Rosalie froze halfway through a laugh. Behind her, Emmett sat, looking serious for the first time Alice had ever seen. "What are you saying?" she asked shakily.

"I'm saying that after I ran away, I met Greyback."

"Greyback?" Alice had heard the name before, but where?

"Yeah…Greyback, the most feared werewolf in Voldemort's time."

Rosalie was looking _really_ scared now. "And—and did he, you know—"

"Yeah," said Edward heavily, "he did manage to."

Bella made no sound. "Why didn't you tell us sooner?" she asked Edward finally.

"Well, because I was afraid that you'd abandon me for what I am!"

Alice shook her head. "You _are_ stupid," she said, "what did we promise in our first year? Friends forever and never abandon anyone, no matter what." Then she hastily wished that she hadn't said that, because there was a sudden twisting in her gut.

"You don't mind?" Edward looked up.

"Of course we don't, idiot," said Bella. Edward looked at Rosalie, who was looking down.

"Um, no," she said carefully, "but I'm not sure that I'd want to be near you when at the full moon."

Edward smiled for the first time that night. "No, I don't suppose so."

"Okay…"Alice looked around, "does anyone else know?"

"Yeah. Jacob, but it makes no difference, as he's one as well."

"What?" Emmett looked startled.

"Jacob's one as well. Actually, I knew him before Bella said anything about him last year. He used to taunt me, but then later, I got my revenge."

"_You_ bit him?"

"Yes. And I don't regret it." His voice was hard.

One other thing troubled Alice, though. "How did you get away from Greyback, though?" she asked.

Edward smiled thinly. "Alice, remember when we first met in Diagon Alley? With Emmett, and Jasper in Madam Malkin's robe shop? Well, remember how the three of us were together? Emmett turned up two months ago. I met Jasper that very night."

Alice felt stunned as Edward continued, "it appeared that he and his father had the nerve to camp outside that night, when the moon was full. Anyway, I was attacked only a few meters from where they had set up camp. His father came and pulled Greyback off me…"

"Why didn't he use his wand?" asked Bella.

"Well, I was struggling with Greyback, and it was very hard to get a direct hit," said Edward, shrugging, "but anyway, Greyback had me down, and then he _bit_ me," here, he stopped, wincing before continuing, "I think he was going to finish me off, but then someone came and pulled him off. And then, he went for Jasper, who was only half awake at the time and not very defensive."

"Jasper?" asked Alice, "_He_ didn't get attacked? Doesn't seem likely, though…"

"Not really," said Edward, sighing, "Well, I owe Jasper his vocal cords."

There was a minute of silence as everyone absorbed this new piece of information.

"Well, if it isn't a night for surprises," said Alice breaking the silence finally.

"That's how he knew I was one…" said Edward.

"But wouldn't that make him a werewolf as well?" asked Rosalie, looking terrified by the minute.

"No, Greyback never got a chance; the best he could manage was to scratch his throat. If he were a muggle, he would have to go around soundless for the rest of his life. And of course—"

"Shh!" said Bella suddenly. Everyone froze, listening intently. And then Alice heard it. There were sounds of footsteps running away from the classroom. Emmett ran to the door and looked out.

"No one…" he said. Alice peeked out. There was indeed no one, but something lay in the path a few meters away. She ran forward and picked it up.

It was a green and silver Slytherin scarf.

**AN**

**Cliff hanger, cliff hanger, cliff hanger…?**

**Please REVIEW!!!**


	17. Back Into Time

**Back Into Time**

Alice stared at the scarf in her hands. Then a sudden _bang_ around the corridor brought her back to the present. Edward and Emmett rushed around the corner, followed by the others.

"Still no one…"

Alice stared. The corridor was completely deserted, save for a broom cupboard and two suits of armour. Strangely enough, the broom cupboard's door was still swinging slightly. She went over to it cautiously…could Malfoy possibly be hiding inside?

"Come on, Alice!" it was Bella, "someone's coming!"

Alice tore her eyes away from the closet. Indeed, someone was coming.

"Heard something, professor?"

"I'm not sure…seems to be coming from here."

The five of them ran all the way back to the Gryffindor tower, not stopping. They didn't meet anyone on the way, but one question alone kept them awake all night.

Who was it?

--

The next day was the day that they were all dreading.

"It must've been Malfoy," said Emmett, "I heard that he received detention last night. He probably heard us and got a little curious."

"Who knows?" said Edward, "I don't think this is coincidence…the only night I decide to tell you guys, and someone shows up and hears me?"

"But how many people has he told?"

The answer was not far off. When they went down for breakfast at half past six, being to nervous to sleep, several people were giving them odd looks. By the time it was nine thirty, people were already avoiding the five of them.

"Blasted Malfoy," said Rosalie, seething, "if only we could go back in time and get him…"

"We can't," said Bella hopelessly.

"Not unless…" Edward looked away, "not unless we have a time turner."

"A time turner?" asked Rosalie, "what's that?"

"A device for going back into time," said Edward, "but none of has one…"

But something struck Alice as odd as a conversation in the past caught her…

"_Nope, I couldn't see a thing in Jasper's cup…I was making everything up. And Hermione kept on whispering about what a loony subject it was. Personally, I agree with her."_

"_What?" Rosalie frowned at Alice, "Hermione was in Ancient Runes with me. So was Jasper. What are you talking about?"_

"_What are you talking about? I shared a table with Jasper! Ask Emmett yourself!"_

"Edward!" said Alice suddenly, "Edward, I know who has a time turner!"

"Get real, Alice," said Bella incredulously, "who'd have a time turner? And even if they did, what makes you think they're going to lend it to us?"

"Because," said Alice, "one of them is a Gryffindor, and the other is a friend."

**~0o0o0o0o0o0o0~**

It took almost all of Alice's nerves to go back to the library and face the crowd of Slytherins.

"…and then I heard Masen talking to his stinking little friends," Malfoy was saying. Alice felt a surge of anger: so it _was_ him, "and that was when I heard _Greyback,_ you know, he's an old family friend—"

Alice stepped out from the shelves.

"So it _was_ you," she hissed in Malfoy's face. It was freezing, and yet, he was wearing no scarf.

"Detention, Brandon. Geez, you're friend's not going to stay in this school for much longer at _that._ No one's going to like him very much now, are they?"

Alice was going to snap back but then she realized that Jasper wasn't in the crowd of jeering Slytherins. "Where's Jasper?" she demanded. Malfoy clucked gloatingly.

"Gone to find your boyfriend? He's sick, idiot. Or perhaps he didn't tell you?"

Sick? Alice ran out of the library wildly. Did time turners have limits to how much time they could go back to? She hoped not.

_Where are you?_ She screamed in her head wildly, _oh, for the love of…nothing, just when I need you…_

She stopped. Dumbledore had once told her that if she just calmed down and thought things over, she'd find many answers to life's little questions.

"Let me see," she said out loud, "he's sick, so where is he going to be if he's sick?" then the answer hit her. "How could I be so stupid? The hospital wing, of course!"

She dashed upstairs to the hospital wing, only to find it—

"Sorry," said the nurse, "no, the hospital wing is temporarily closed, Miss Brandon."

"But, but," spluttered Alice. Madam Pomfrey held up a hand.

"Sorry."

Alice turned and started to run to Dumbledore's office. Dumbledore would understand…he would know…

"Alice?"

Alice's heart skipped. She wanted to turn around and yell _where on earth were you? Edward's secret is out and just when I really, REALLY need you, you disappear…_

Instead, she doubled over, panting. "Are you okay?" asked Jasper.

"No, no, of course I'm not," she panted, "Jasper, I need your time turner. I know you have one," she interrupted as he opened his mouth to say something, "and Edward's in trouble."

"What was he thinking?" asked Jasper, "Malfoy said that…"

"Yes, I know. He told us everything last night."

"What time?"

"I dunno, about ten something, upstairs on the seventh floor…"

Jasper nodded. "Come on," he said, pulling her into cupboard, "let's go…"

Alice was confused. "What? Go where?"

"Back in time." He grappled for something hanging from his neck, temporarily showing the furious scars left by Greyback. Alice shivered. Jasper noticed her sudden discomfort.

"What, did he tell you_ that_ bit of history as well?"

Alice nodded. Jasper sighed.

"Well, come on…" he picked out an hourglass and threw a chain around Alice's neck.

"What—"

Jasper started to turn the hourglass over.

"What time is it?" he asked casually.

"What—I mean, eight o'clock." Alice watched him turn it over once, twice, three times…until he had reached ten times.

All at once, the darkness dissolved around Alice. The ground disappeared from under her, and a furious pounding was in her ears. Shapes and colours whirled by…Alice became only aware that Jasper was in front of her.

Then the ground came back to her feet. They were still in the cupboard, but outside, a clock was chiming ten. Alice looked at Jasper in amazement.

"We really went back? "What do we do now?" the events had left her forgetting to be mad at him.

"Well, that's an interesting question," Jasper, for the first time in his life, looked a little lost, "I suppose we have to keep Malfoy away from listening…no, wait. We can't do that without revealing ourselves, and that won't do at all. A memory charm might do the trick, though. Come on…"

They stepped out of the closet. At first, there was nothing, and then there were footsteps.

"It's you—quick! Get back into the closet!"

Alice had only very little time to grasp what he was talking about before she was pulled back into the cupboard again, but not before seeing _herself_ come around the corner.

Jasper was talking hurriedly now.

"Listen, Alice. Whatever we do tonight, _we mustn't be seen by ourselves._ Several wizards and witches have ended up killing their past or future selves. If we see ourselves, then there's no telling what's going to happen.

"We're going to wait for you guys to go into the classroom. When you've done that, then we'll sneak around to the corner where Malfoy ran away. We'll catch him, and perform the memory charm."

Alice's head swam dizzily. "Wait—let me get this straight. We're going to wipe out Malfoy's memory?"

"Yes."

"Doesn't that seem a little risky?"

"Well, I'm open to new ideas."

"Okay, okay. I just don't want to be caught."

The two of the stayed silent, listening to the sounds outside. Then Alice turned to Jasper.

"Jasper?"

"Yes?"

"What if this doesn't work?"

"Then Edward will be doomed." He looked a little nervous. Then Alice heard footsteps.

"That must be Malfoy…"

"Come on," Jasper pulled her out of the closet and around the corner. "Alice, when Malfoy comes around the corner, take out your wand and say: _Obliviate!_"

"Obliviate?"

"Yes. It's a memory charm—I'm afraid if I do it, I'll be wiping out every single thing he's ever known, and _that_ will get us into Azkaban."

They hardly dared to breathe. Alice took her wand out, preparing…tensing. Then she heard more footsteps coming…any moment now…the footsteps came around the corner…

Alice leapt out and cried: "Obliviate!"

There was a bang, and Malfoy lay on the ground, unconscious. Jasper ran over to him and dragged him back into the closet.

"Hurry, Alice," Jasper hissed, "you're going to come around the corner any moment now…"

They got into the cupboard just in time as Emmett and Edward ran around the corner.

"Still no one…" muttered Emmett. Then, unbelievably, Alice saw herself come out. She then realized what was going to happen.

Alice held her breath as the past her came over to the cupboard curiously. _Don't come,_ she thought, _don't come here, stay away…_

"Come on, Alice!" it was Bella, "someone's coming!"

There were indeed footsteps echoing down the corridor. Alice saw herself scram with the others.

"Heard something, professor?"

"I'm not sure…seems to be coming from here."

Professors McGonagall and Snape came just as the hem of Rosalie's robes disappeared around the corner.

"No, there's nothing here…"

When everything was quite again, Alice let out a sigh of relief.

"That was close."

Jasper nodded, smiling for the first time in ages. "Yeah." Then his attention turned back to Malfoy. As if dealing with something disgusting, he rolled back Malfoy's sleeve to reveal—

"The Dark Mark," breathed Alice.

"Wow, he's a young Deatheater."

"Not surprising, really, considering his awful attitude." Alice sat on Malfoy's stomach. "How much did I do?"

"I'm not sure. Hopefully enough to accomplish what we set out to do."

"So what do we do now?"

"Wait for morning."

--

Alice blinked. Her last memory had been in the broom cupboard with Jasper. Where was she now?

With sudden realization, she realized that she had fallen asleep. Malfoy was still unconscious; there was a lump forming where he had hit the floor. Jasper sat beside her, but it was too dark to see whether he was awake or asleep.

"Jasper?"

"Yes?" oh, so he was awake.

"What time is it?"

"Half past seven..."

"Oh." She blinked sleepily, then realized that she had been sleeping with her head on Jasper's shoulder. It was lucky that the broom cupboard didn't show just how much she was blushing.

"…but that wasn't what you wanted to ask, was it?"

"Huh?" Alice was instantly alert. "Well…" she admitted, "I _do_ have a few questions."

"Such as…?"

"What you meant the last time we talked."

In the darkness, she saw Jasper's outline stiffen.

"It's…best if you don't know."

"I _know_ that," said Alice huffily, "But I _want_ to know. I don't care. That's what friends are for, isn't it? We didn't abandon Edward when we discovered that he was a werewolf; nor did we do it to Emmett when he told us he was a half giant, so why now?"

"This is different." Jasper sounded frustrated.

"Can't you just give me a hint?"

"Well…no. There will be a time when you will know everything, though, Alice. And when it comes to that, you'll wish you never knew."

There was a silence for a little while.

"How much did he tell you last night?" asked Jasper.

"Well…quite a lot," admitted Alice, "he told us how he met you."

"He mentioned my father?" Jasper's voice edged towards something that made it quaver slightly.

"How is he?" asked Alice, knowing the answer.

"Dead. Died this Christmas."

"Sorry."

The conversation was not going the way Alice had intended it to.

"Must be nearly time now…"

"Yeah…" Jasper looked at Malfoy, "What do you think we should to with him?"

"Don't know. Why don't we leave him where he is? He fits very nicely with the brooms."

Jasper opened the cupboard door. The sudden light pierced Alice's eyes. Looking back at Malfoy, she had an idea. She petrified him, and stomped on his face three times.

"That's for all the trouble you gave me," she said to him. She turned to Jasper, who looked a trifle amused.

"Well, I suppose that's it," said Alice glumly, "see you around, Jasper."

"See you."

But as Alice turned unwillingly away, Jasper called her back."

"Alice…" he began.

"What?"

"You have something of mine." He held out his hand.

Alice frowned. "I don't—" she started to say. Then she realized what he was talking about.

"Oh, your scarf." She blushed. "Sorry."

"Doesn't matter."

The sun was streaming into the corridor now; it was flooded with light. Alice handed the scarf to Jasper slowly, who took it back with the same speed.

"Thank you." A small smile played around his face.

Alice smiled back. "Don't mention it."

Then suddenly, knowing that it was the only chance for her to do so, she flung her arms around him.

"Alice?" Jasper's voice was full of surprise. But then he hugged her back. The two of the stayed like that, embracing each other.

At this point, if anyone had been looking down the corridor, they would have seen Dumbledore came by. Dumbledore stopped, and an expression of astonishment was registered on his face, which quickly broke into a huge smile. And tears slid down his cheeks as he watched for a full three seconds before slipping away.

Finally, Alice drew away. "Well, bye," she said, her eyes bright and her cheeks pink.

"Bye,"

And Alice skipped off down the corridor to her friends, towards the lighter part, towards the Gryffindor tower without a backward glance. But behind her, Jasper watched her go with depressed eyes, knowing that she would never be his before going down the darker side of the corridor and back to Slytherin's dungeons.

**AN**

**Sorry for leaving you all like that...but it _was_ quite fun, doing that. Sorry again.**

**Please REVIEW!!!**


	18. Year 4: The Death of Blaise Zabini

**The Death of Blaise Zabini**

"Mum?" Alice choked out, "Mum, what _is_ this thing?"

Mrs. Brandon beamed at her daughter. "Honey, it's your dress robe, of course!"

Alice couldn't believe it. There, in front of her, lay the most ugly dress robe she had ever seen before. It was all pink and baby blue with a thousand or so ruffles and laces and a dull red colour. She gulped at the thought of her wearing that.

"But why?" she whined, ""Why do I need dress robes?"

"You're father received a tip-off from the ministry that there's going to be a ball at Hogwarts this year," said her mother fondly.

A dance? Alice's head swam. She had never before tried dancing, and the thought of it made her feel sick with embarrassment. The thought of _dancing_ in that dress robe, however, was humiliating.

"But mum," said Alice shakily, "_I don't dance._"

"You're in luck," said Mrs. Brandon cheerfully, "Your friends do."

**~0o0o0o0o0o0o0~**

"_I_ don't," insisted Bella.

"But _I_ do," said Rosalie, "dancing's the most _wonderful_ thing in the world, Alice. You of all people should know that."

And so Alice's dance lessons began in the mid of August. Every day, she woke up to Rosalie's hollering voice to make her dance at five in the morning, and they continued right till midday, where they stopped to have lunch. Then they began again at one o'clock and didn't stop until five. Alice felt silly and dumb in front of Rosalie; even though it had only been a month since she had seen her, Rosalie had changed beyond imagination. Her face now lost most of the child-like features, making her look like a beauty queen compared to both Alice and Bella.

Bella had been dragged into the affair as well, although she had insisted that she didn't dance. They were compelled to give up after the first day, but one sentence from Rosalie was all it took to get them going the next.

"Don't you want to have fun with the boys? Bella, Edward told me he hopes that you can dance, or else he'd have to ask someone else…"

At that, Bella had leapt up again. Alice didn't need any more encouragement; the previous year had taught her an unforgettable and painful lesson about _What Happens When You Call Your Crush A Know-It-All And Ignore Him For Three Months_. The result had been very displeasing, and only after the time turner did they make up with each other. Needless to say, Jasper still didn't tell Alice what he had meant, but that was the last thing on her mind at the moment, as Bella tripped and brought her down with her.

"No, no, no!" Rosalie was instantly there, "Bella, _one foot at a time._ Seriously. Where did you get those balancing problems from? Okay, hold your arms out straight—_straight,_ Bella, not crooked like a walking stick—and _one at a time! _And Alice, not too fast, or else whoever you're dancing with will freak out."

Alice just scowled.

"Who cares about whether or not you're dancing fast or slow when you're having fun?" she grumbled.

But as the days passed, Alice found that dancing _could_ be fun. It was always breathtaking and exhilarating to imagine yourself on a dance floor (with…someone holding you up) and every move was filled with many untold feelings and emotions. She soon learnt to waltz, to keep to the beat, and enjoyed every single moment of it, something that Bella didn't and couldn't do.

Finally, on the last day of the summer holidays, both Alice and Bella had mastered the most of dancing and could almost dance as well as Rosalie—but Bella's clumsiness prevented her from that.

On the last day, Rosalie took them all for another hour of dancing before getting ready for bed and school.

"I don't see what the point is," Alice mumbled sleepily as she bundled her clothes into her trunk, "I'm not going to look like _anything_ when I put this thing on."

Rosalie glanced sideways at her dress robe and burst into laughter. It was the first time Alice had shown the two of them her dress robe, and seconds later, Bella was on the ground, laughing her head off. Alice scowled darkly and stuffed it back into her trunk. The rest of the night she spent wondering what on earth Jasper would say when he saw her in that ridiculous costume.

**~0o0o0o0o0o0o0~**

"Bella!"

Emmett's voice rang out over the train station. Alice grinned; Emmett was almost a _giant;_ he must've grown at least 30 centimetres since last term. Behind him, Edward trailed, looking pale but pleased at the sight of Bella.

"Did you guys have a nice holiday?" asked Emmett when the two of them reached the girls.

"NO!" both Alice and Bella responded together at once. Rosalie smirked.

"The Yule Ball is an important event," she smiled.

"Oh!" said Emmett, "So I expect that you've been teaching them, have you? Knowing you, you have."

Rosalie reached for Emmett's hand, and the two of them skipped off together towards the Hogwarts Express. Bella took Edward's, and the two of them followed Emmett and Rosalie. Alice looked around, feeling lost.

"As always, I find you vacant," a familiar voice from came behind her. She whirled around.

"Well, yeah." She blushed crimson.

Jasper surveyed her through his dazzling sapphire eyes. "You haven't changed at all," he commented.

"I know." Alice frowned at her height. Both of them were nearly opposites; opposite house, opposite looks…"I'm half dwarf," she joked rather lamely. Jasper grinned.

"Well then, Miss Dwarf, shall we board the train?"

Alice laughed. "If I'm half dwarf, then what are you?" she teased as the two of them dragged their trunks up the train.

"Hmm…quarter giant?" he shot a look at Emmett.

"Alice!" a voice said from behind her. She looked around. It was Dean Thomas, another fellow Gryffindor.

"What?" asked Alice.

"Can I talk to you? Three minutes?"

"Sure." She left their compartment. Dean took her to another compartment.

"I was just wondering…" he looked down at the ground. "I mean, there's going to be a ball this term, and I was wondering…"

Alice was suddenly alert. "Yes?"

"I was wondering…if you'd go with me."

Alice tried to burst the bubble of irritation that was threatening to show on her face. "Um, I'll think about it," she said. Dean looked sideways at the rest of her friends.

"Did Whitlock ask you?"

"Jasper," said Alice firmly, "has not asked me to the ball. See you later." She went back in.

"What did Dean—" Bella started to say, but then hastily shut up when she saw the look on Alice's face.

"So," said Emmett, trying to change the subject and breaking the awkward silence, "What's it with the dress robes?"

Rosalie giggled. "Alice got a very pretty one," she said to Jasper. Jasper raised a sceptical eyebrow. Alice glared at Rosalie.

"It's just very old fashioned," said Bella, trying to help.

"Yeah, like, the prehistoric people probably had a great time with it," mumbled Alice. Edward laughed.

"Doesn't matter, Alice, we've all got prehistoric clothes."

"According to Malfoy—" muttered Emmett

"—and there's nothing wrong with that," finished Edward.

"Emmett's got a dress robe?" asked Alice, trying to joke, "I didn't think giants could dance…"

Everyone laughed as Emmett cracked his knuckles and glared at her playfully.

The afternoon wore on. Outside, it began to rain. They all brought something to eat and had a sort of picnic or shared lunch in the train at three o'clock. Edward slightly outdid his nerves and ended up throwing his pumpkin pasty at Draco Malfoy, who was passing at the moment.

"You'll pay for that one, Masen!" Malfoy shouted as he ran away to get the pumpkin out of his hair.

"Yeah, right," said Emmett. Malfoy ran even faster.

Then they began to talk about the summer holidays. Alice found herself relishing the moment, telling Jasper how Rosalie taught her dance. He smiled at the bit when Bella kept falling down and bringing people with her.

"So how was yours?" she asked after a breathless two hours, "now that your father's gone…"

His face fell a thousand miles. "I spent my holidays with relatives," he mumbled.

"Who?"

"My uncle." Again, there was something that made her think that there was more to just that…

"Is he mean?"

"Unnaturally." Jasper smiled.

"In what way?"

"In the least way imaginable. He's very hard on my studies."

Just then, Malfoy came back with several other Slytherins. He sneered when he saw them.

"Ready to fight, twerps?" he cast an amused eye at Jasper. "Are you going to join the losing team, Whitlock?"

Jasper pulled out his wand. "Look who's talking," he snarled at Malfoy. Everyone else followed suit, and Malfoy found six wands aimed straight for his throat. Nevertheless, he grinned widely.

"I think it means duelling," he said smugly, raising his wand. Alice bet him to the punch again.

"_Stupefy!"_

But that wasn't the only voice that rang out…

"_Petrificus totalus!"_

"_Impedimenta!"_

"_Reducto!"_

"_Tarantallegra!"_

"_Sectumsempra!"_

"_Rictusempra!"_

"_Serpensortia!"_

There was a terrific bang, and smoke engulfed the corridor. Alice watched, stunned, as a huge black snake erupted out of Malfoy's wand, just like the day at the duelling club two years ago. However, there was something more important to worry about; Malfoy and his gang of Slytherins now lay stunned on the ground, their legs twitching madly _and unbelievably, bleeding._

Bella took one look at the blood and fainted. Edward caught her before she fell to the ground. Alice, Rosalie, and Emmett quickly hurried to her side.

"She's afraid of the stuff," muttered Emmett, looking at her. But then his attention snapped back to Malfoy's snake.

"Is conjuring snakes all that he can do?" asked Emmett, looking disgusted.

"I don't know…but where did the blood come from?"

Jasper pointed. "The Slytherins."

"But nothing we did could have done that!" exclaimed Rosalie, "I mean, that's _dark magic!_ How can you just cut someone up like that?"

Alice shrugged. "Dunno. But it's not like it's a great loss…"

"Oh, man," whimpered Bella when she woke up and saw the scene in front of her, "We're going to be in so much trouble…"

Alice yanked her robes out of the reach of the blood seeping towards them. "Yuck," she wrinkled her nose—

"Guys," said Jasper weakly.

"What, are you feeling faint?"

"No…Blaise…Blaise Zabini…_he's not breathing._"

Alice whirled around to see Jasper bent over the Slytherins, checking their pulses. The huge boy he was looking at now had his chest ripped right open, and was clearly not breathing. Edward's breath caught and Emmett hurried to the dead Slytherin's side.

"Did we…did we…_overdo that?_" asked Bella in a quaking voice.

"That's impossible, though!" insisted Edward, "I mean, we're only third years—sorry, I mean, fourth years, how are we supposed to know anything dark like this?"

The answer, Alice never knew, was on their first Defence against the Dark Arts Lesson.

Then the smiling, dimpled witch came along the corridor, pushing her trolley. However, when she saw them, she screamed and went away down the corridor, screaming bloody murder. Everyone exchanged nervous looks.

"My hands are clean in this," muttered Alice, holding hers, "I did the Stupefying curse."

"Me too," said Edward, "I did the Petrificus Totalus and Bella did the Impedimenta one. I heard her."

"I did the Tarantallegra," frowned Emmett.

"Mine was the Rictusempra," said Rosalie. She looked at Jasper.

"I did the stupefying curse as well." He looked down at his hands, which were covered with the blood of Blaise Zabini. "Although my hands aren't exactly clean."

**~0o0o0o0o0o0o0~**

"Well?" demanded Professor McGonagall, "What have you got to say for yourselves?"

No one said anything. What was there to say, anyway? They had been duelling, end of story. Nothing could prepare them for the worst to come. Professor McGonagall frowned and her mouth was the thinnest of lines.

"Personally, I'm very surprised that these students ever knew this sort of spell," said Snape coolly from the corner. "I would suggest you, Professor, to feed them all a dose of Veritaserum until they decide to tell you everything."

"We already told you," Edward burst out angrily, "We don't know what happened."

"No flash of green light?"

"No. Should there have been any?" asked Rosalie.

"Perhaps it is best that we let Mr. Malfoy and his friends and witnesses tell us what happened," said Snape in the silky voice that Alice hated so much.

Professor McGonagall sighed. "I will deal out with my students," she said wearily, "Severus, you will deal with yours. I am not ready to bet that mine will say anything in front of you truthfully."

Snape looked furious, but he yanked Jasper outside by the arm and disappeared out of the door, leaving the five of them alone with Professor McGonagall. She looked at them.

"Brandon, if you will explain."

Alice's jaw dropped. She hadn't expected Professor McGonagall to ask her to say anything. In her small voice, she told her about how Malfoy had come with five other Slytherins to fight, and how there had simply been a bang, lots of smoke and an equal amount of Slytherin blood. A silence followed her words, and Alice held her breath. Would she buy it?

Professor McGonagall did buy it. She lectured them for three minutes about fighting, and finally let them go to the feast. As soon as they were out of earshot, all of them began to talk at once.

"Zabini's dead?"

"Killed…"

Alice wasn't paying attention, however. She thought about the spells that she had heard in that split second…

_Petrificus totalus, Impedimenta, Reducto, Tarantallegra, Sectumsempra, Rictusempra, Serpensortia..._

Wait on. What was that one?

_Tarantallegra, Sectumsempra, Rictusempra…_

Sectumsempra was the one. None of the others could have done it…but she had never heard of Sectumsempra before. What was it?

**~0o0o0o0o0o0o0~**

"Wake up!" yelled Bella, pouncing on Rosalie. Rosalie sat up, rubbing her eyes. "What?"

"Dance lessons!"

"Oh! I—" Rosalie stopped and glared at Alice. "The summer holidays are over, Alice."

"And so school's starting. Come on!" Alice went to wake Bella.

"Bella! While you sleep, Edward's being eaten by the giant squid!"

Bella mumbled something and turned over.

"Hurry, Bella! The squid's digested him already."

"Serves him right anyway," mumbled Bella drowsily, "How would he ever learn if I interfered?"

Rosalie laughed. "Edward's not going to be very happy…"

Edward, however, wasn't at all unhappy.

"The giant squid!" he scoffed, "it won't eat _me._"

Alice looked across the Hall. The previous night, Dumbledore had explained to them that other schools were coming, and that there was a Yule Ball at Christmas. Her heart danced happily at the thought, but then sank when she thought of Dean, who was not speaking to her.

"Um, excuse me?"

Alice whirled around to see a Hufflepuff looking down at her. He had very bad skin problems, she noticed with disgust, something that none of her friends suffered from.

"Yes?"

"I was wondering…" he blushed, the same reaction as Dean. Alice understood immediately.

"No." she turned on her heel and stalked away.

The fourth year was not better than the first. It was even worst; in fact, the number of boys coming up to ask her out was _huge_. Same went for her friends; only now, Alice realized that her friends were some of the few that suited the term _pretty face._ She now always had to walk through a corridor of people to her classes, doge boys and the jeers of other girls who thought she'd stolen their boys.

"Alice? Alice, will you go out with me?"

"Alice, I have a crush on you and…"

"Alice…"

"Alice…"

"Alice…"

"For the last time!" Alice yelled out after the first week in Herbology, "_Don't ask me out!_"

A silence followed her words. Then—

"Alice, I'm sorry but I have to know—will you go out with me?"

She turned around, wanting to scream, but then stopped when she saw who it was.

Harry. It was Harry Potter.

**AN**

**Sorry for the late update, but the site wouldn't let me login for days. Lucky, too; I had the four worst days of my life, so please excuse this crappy excuse of a chapter.**

**And there's now a new poll—I'm going to leave many things unexplained in this story, so I want you to vote whether or not you want to read another version of this story from Jasper's POV.**

**Please REVIEW!!!**


	19. Unexpected Guests

**Unexpected Guests**

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?"

Alice glared at Harry, who quickly looked away, blushing furiously, "I said NO! And I will say NO to you as well!"

**~0o0o0o0o0o0o0~**

But the second worst thing that happened on the second week was the news that Blaise Zabini was dead, supposedly killed by five Gryffindors and a Slytherin. Malfoy, much to Alice's disappointment, survived and was now telling everyone about the "accident."

Dumbledore was the most displeased. His first reaction on the night of the feast was to take their wands and say _prior incantato_. Bella, Rosalie and Alice's wand responded with a ghostly image of the spell that they had used to attack Malfoy; Edward, Emmett and Jasper's, on the other hand, produced soap-like bubbles, as a result of trying to clean up the blood afterwards.

So the culprit remained unfound as they passed into October. Alice found that it was even more entertaining, looking at how people took the new that Blaise Zabini was dead; no one seemed very disappointed. But apart from the Slytherins, everyone saw this as good riddance.

"What was he to us, anyway?" bellowed Seamus at Malfoy one day at potions. Malfoy expressed his feelings about this by knocking over Seamus's cauldron, which caused Snape to take points off Gryffindor. But this foul act was nothing compared to what was in store for Alice and her friends, when the Minister for Magic arrived.

"The death of a student is very serious indeed," he had said to the six of them gravely one day as they were in the middle of a Care for Magical Creatures lesson. "I would advise all of you to tell your teachers everything you know. I personally don't think that any of you are capable of doing this…" he trailed off, looking confused.

Alice was obliged to throw on of Hagrid's blast-ended skrewt in his face, but she held her tongue and meditated. Fudge mistaking this as a confession, looked eagerly at her.

"Yes, Miss Brandon?"

Edward saved her at this point, feeling compelled to laugh, accidentally put a flobberworm down the Minister's robes. This lead to Fudge mistaking it for Malfoy, who was making faces at them behind his back.

"You could easily be Cedric, you know," said Rosalie as they chuckled and walked back up to the castle. "The only thing is, you're too active."

Edward didn't say anything as they marched off to dinner. Bella looked at him oddly.

"Edward, are you all right?"

"Course I'm not, who'd be all right after being questioned by the Minister for Magic?" he smiled briefly, though it never reached his eyes. "I was thinking, though…"

"What?" Emmett demanded, helping himself to the pie.

"Well…I had this idea during the summer…you know our previous Defence Against the Dark Arts teachers? We've got four so far. How many of them actually know their stuff?"

"Lupin was all right, apart from the fact that he was a werewolf," mumbled Alice.

"Yeah…but Lockhart, Quirrel and Mad-Eye aren't that okay. I mean, what sort of teacher would perform unforgivable curses on their students?"

"Not many," admitted Rosalie, "but what are you saying?"

Edward took a deep breath. "I'm saying that perhaps it's time to take the matter of this into our own hands."

"I don't get this," muttered Bella after a moment's silence. "What are you trying to do?"

"Well…it might be nice to form a group to actually practice these things, you know…"

Alice's drooping eyes snapped open. "What, you want to form a group?"

Edward nodded.

"That's absurd," muttered Rosalie.

"It's a brilliant idea, but why?" Emmett looked lost.

"Listen, guys." Edward leaned forward. "When Cornelius Fudge was appointed Minster for Magic, do you know what he said?"

"No, I forgot."

"He said: 'I always imagined that Dumbledore would get this position instead.' He's up against Dumbledore, although with the Twizard Wizard Tournament's got them back together. My mother used to work at the ministry, and let me tell you, Fudge thinks that Dumbledore's going to take his position for minister. Any day now, he's going to stop letting us learn about Defence Against the Dark Arts, and that's not going to do, because although we believe that one day, Harry's definitely going to kill Voldemort, but what until then? And what if Voldemort wins? I'm not just going to stand there doing nothing."

A silence followed his speech. Then Emmett leaned forward and smacked Edward's hand.

"Great idea, buddy. Let's do this."

"But who's in this?"

"I am," Alice, Rosalie and Bella responded immediately.

"Just the six of us?"

"Nah," said Edward, "I've already gone around asking, and a few people fancy this idea."

"Really? So who's in?"

"Harry, Ron and Hermione are in, of course," Edward started ticking off his fingers. "And Hannah from Hufflepuff, along with Eric and Justin. Fred and George Weasley overheard me, and they sounded pretty eager about it, since we're not letting the teachers know; Seamus, Neville, Dean, Lee. Oh, and that prefect—what's his name? Cedric, that's right, and Cho, his girlfriend wants to come as well. Luna Lovegood, that weirdo, Ginny Weasley…I think that's it. There are loads more, but I can't remember all of their names."

"What, no Ravenclaws or Slytherins?"

"Well, Luna and Cho are Ravenclaws. As for Slytherins, they're the dark arts themselves, so it's best to keep away from them."

Bella smiled. Alice looked pointedly at Edward. He caught her eye and looked away guiltily.

"Well, I haven't told him yet."

Alice sighed and dug into her dinner. "And who do you plan to teach us?" she demanded.

"Hm, let me get back to you when I've thought over it…"

Emmett snorted into his pie. Rosalie shot him a disgusted look and turned to Edward.

"That's a brilliant idea, Edward, but do you have any idea just how much trouble we're going to be in if we get caught?"

"No. We'll just call it a…a homework club."

Alice grinned. "Nice. A Slytherin-proof homework club, Ed. That's very convincing."

"And why not? Slytherins hate Gryffindors…"

Still bickering, they finished their dinner and began to climb up the stairs. Halfway up the stairs, Professor McGonagall came running down, her hat askew and her hair in all directions and very out of breath.

"Oh my goodness—they're arriving—dear me, must tell Dumbledore…completely out of schedule…oh, no…the students…" she saw them and began shooing them downstairs again.

"Professor, what is it?" asked Bella as they clomped down the stairs.

"The other schools are arriving!" shrieked Professor McGonagall.

"But—but—" protested Emmett as he stumbled and nearly tripped, "I thought they weren't arriving until next week!"

"So did I, Mr McCarthy, so did I, but they're early…not a word… students!" she called, stopping all activity in the hall. "Students are to line up immediately to welcome our guests from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang!"

There was a rather excited murmuring. Snape appeared, looking disbelieving.

"Are you sure. Professor McGonagall?"

"Here they approach!" shrieked Professor McGonagall, pointing up at the sky.

And indeed they were. A huge something was flying towards the castle, getting bigger and bigger…

"It's a dragon!" shouted someone.

"No!" said Dennis Creevy, "It's a flying house!"

This guess was more closer, as the thing neared, Alice could see that it was a huge house-sized carriage, powder blue and drawn by a dozen winged horses. As the horses landed, the earth trembled, and then the carriage came to a stop.

A boy in pale blue robes jumped down from the carriage and unfolded a set of steps. Then they saw—

"My dear Madam Maxime," said Dumbledore, kissing her hand. "Welcome to Hogwarts."

Emmett seemed to find the whole affair very entertaining; he kept stuffing his fist into his mouth.

"Dumbly-Dorr," said Madam Maxime. Her voice was deep, "I 'ope I find you well?" she cast an amused eye at the students, who were all in staring at her as if she was a freak.

"'As Karkaroff arrived yet?" she asked. But no sooner than said, the lake began to bubble and froth; before their very eyes, a huge ship was rising out of the water. As the people stepped off the ship, Alice could see that they resembled Crabbe and Goyle, as their clothes were thick.

A man made his way up to Dumbledore and greeted him Alice noticed with distaste that his teeth were very yellow and his eyes very cold. Edward nudged Emmett.

"Emmett—Emmett, it's Krum! Victor Krum!"

"Who?" asked Rosalie.

"Didn't you guys go to the Quidditch World Cup?"

Alice glared at Rosalie. "No. we were dancing all summer."

"Krum's one of the best seekers in the world," said Edward, "Although I don't support Bulgaria, I supported Ireland."

"Same here," said Emmett, slapping him a high-five. "We'll like him even less when he competes in the Twizard Tournament, huh?"

Alice wasn't listening. She was watching a Beauxbatons student already trying to flirt with Jasper, who was wearing an expression of deep disgust that she was mistaking for affection. The students from Beauxbatons were very beautiful, and Alice could already sense Hogwarts boys falling for them already while the girls…

They went inside. They were sharing a table with several students from the other schools; the Beauxbatons girls were sitting right beside Edward and Emmett while two Durmstrang boys sat with Rosalie, Alice and Bella. Alice noticed with distaste that the boy who sat beside her dribbled things down his front, which was…disgusting.

Dumbledore stood up and began welcoming them as if it were the first day of the term. Alice listened, trying not to look at the Slytherin table, where the Beauxbatons girl was still trying to flirt with Jasper, or the boy's robes.

"…and no one under seventeen may attend," finished Dumbledore. Alice awoke with a start.

"No!" came a chorus of voices.

"That's not fair!" yelled Fred and George Weasley.

"This is for your own safety…" Dumbledore continued to say.

Edward and Emmett looked disappointed.

Alice sighed, disappointed. "Edward, I think that with all this extra time, we might be able to go and do your Defence Club, after all."

Edward beamed at her.

**~0o0o0o0o0o0o0~**

The Room of Requirement was on the seventh floor, opposite a tapestry showing Barnabas the Barmy trying to teach trolls to dance the ballet. It was an immensely funny tapestry, but the inside of the room was funnier.

"Wow," said Alice, looking at the shelves full of funny pictures and books. "Look at all this stuff."

She spotted loads of junk, where people hid their most prized possessions.

Edward, behind her was also looking at the stuff. People started arriving, all of them curious and excited. Alice spotted a hair band, or a diadem with the words _wit beyond man's greatest treasure_ written on it. But it was ugly, and she left it alone.

"So who's teaching us?" Hermione was asking Edward. Edward went red.

"I was hoping that we'd vote on that one."

Everyone was sitting apart in their houses. At Edward's words, they all laughed.

"So," said Cedric, smiling, "you don't have a teacher yet?"

'How about you shut up?" said Emmett rather rudely. The Hufflepuffs glared at him.

"Well," said Edward, twisting his hands together, "I was going to suggest that—"

However, at this point, he was broken off by a small squeal from Hannah.

"Listen! Someone's coming!"

They held their breaths.

"Don't know what you're searching for, Malfoy, but here it is."

Alice's blood ran cold. Unbelievably, Edward had chosen to ignore Jasper, and now he and Malfoy were outside on the other end of the corridor, trying to get into the Room of Requirement. Everyone huddle against a wall.

"A lost diadem, Whitlock. Surely you must know where it is hidden?"

"And what do you want with it?"

"Oh, imagine just how easy school would be if I had it…go inside and have a look, it's sure to be there."

Fear showed on everyone else's faces, but Alice breather a sigh of relief. They could trust Jasper with this—he wasn't about to give them away…

"And what if it's not in there?" challenged Jasper.

"Then we leave and try again, of course. Now, go in."

"Why don't _you_ go in? I'm not the one who wants a stupid diadem…"

"It's not stupid. There's someone in there, I know it."

"Then we can come back later!"

"It's now or never. But I'm not going in. I'm giving you three seconds, Whitlock, or—"

"Fine, fine…"

There were footsteps along the corridor, and then the door banged open and Jasper came in, an expression of plain fury on his face. However, someone else had different ideas.

"Stupefy!" shouted Justin.

The spell was poorly aimed, and Jasper brought his wand up just in time to deflect the spell, sp that it bounded straight back to Justin, who narrowly dodged it. His expression quickly changed from being angry, to surprise and back again.

"Impe—"

"Stop, Jasper, no!" shouted Edward, jumping on Jasper immediately, stopping him halfway through a curse, knocking the two of them onto the ground. Jasper's wand flew out of his hand and clattered to the ground, where Ron accidentally tripped suddenly and split it cleanly in half. The others all got to their feet.

"Do we attack?" asked Collin excitedly.

"No—"

"But I thought that this was defence against the dark arts," said Cedric, frowning. "Aren't Slytherins supposed to be the dark arts themselves?"

"Stop quoting me," snapped Edward. Jasper got up from the ground, looking even more angrier than Alice had ever seen, only to be seized by several bulky Hufflepuffs.

"Whitlock? What's taking you so long?"

"You can't expect me to find something that hard so quickly, can you?" Jasper snapped back, struggling with the Hufflepuffs. Then, in a lower voice, he turned to Edward.

"What are all of you doing here?"

"What are _you_ doing with Malfoy?" asked Lee Jordan.

"None of your business."

"As a prefect, I'm afraid it is," said Cedric, stepping forward.

Jasper muttered a stream of hexes and spells, but with his wand broken cleanly in half ten feet away, nothing happened.

"Go on, I'm listening," Cedric crossed his arms.

For a moment, something in Jasper's eyes told him that prefect or not, it was still none of his business, which was true. Reluctantly, he glared at Cedric before saying: "Malfoy wants to find a hair band for Pansy Parkinson."

The room exploded with laughter, and the corners of Cedric's mouth twitched.

"Why here, though?"

"Look, will you just let me go? If this is some sort of Support Harry Potter Secret Organization, I don't want to take any part in it, nor will I tell anyone!"

Ginny snorted. "What? How can we trust you, though?"

"You can trust him," said Rosalie, stepping forward. "Let him go."

The Hufflepuffs didn't move.

Bella sighed. "Look," she said exasperatedly, "He's not going to tell anyone. Isn't that enough?"

"Just because he is a Slytherin," Alice started to say loudly. Everyone, including Jasper, stopped and stared at her. "I thought we made this clear years ago." Alice continued to say, her voice getting louder, 'But clearly, some people are still unhappy. Well, look here: this is _defence against the dark arts,_ not _defence against every single Slytherin you see and running away in the opposite direction._ What sort of attitude is that?"

There was a deathly silence in the room. The Malfoy's voice came again.

"Whitlock, have you found it?"

"No." Jasper's eyes never left Alice's face.

"Hurry up…" Malfoy started to complain.

"Why don't you go back first? I'll give it to you when I find it."

"Fine. I'm giving you half an hour…"

"I'm sure you trust him," said Cedric, looking more confused by the moment, "But—"

"—he's our friend, and that's all that matters," snapped Dean, to Alice's great surprise. "Let him go."

The Hufflepuffs looked reluctant to let him go.

"You hear him," said Cedric. "Let him go."

"And let him all curse us?" asked one of them.

"You're not very bright, are you?" asked Seamus. "His wand's broken—what's going to harm you?"

They looked furious as they let him go. As soon as he was free, Jasper picked up his wand—or what was left of it—and moaned.

"Second one in four years. What's he going to say?" then he turned and ran from the room before anyone could stop him, leaving a silence in his wake.

"Well," spluttered Edward, "I mean—that was—"

"That was a very good lesson," remarked Luna Lovegood. Cedric nodded as well. Alice's jaw dropped open. She had expected everyone to be scowling and angry.

"What?"

"It goes to show how wrong we can be about most people," said Cedric. "Before this, I never knew that Slytherins could be like that."

"Nor did I," said Harry, although, it seemed, because Hermione nudged him.

"Well…back to our plan, then…I think we should have a name, so that no one knows what we're talking about," said Rosalie.

"How about…the Defence Association?" asked Cedric, "or the DA for short?"

"Good idea…or let's call it Dumbledore's Army, as that's what Voldemort hates and fears the most."

Edward smiled. "So…we'll be the DA. Any objections?"

No one did, although the look on Emmett's face told them plainly that whoever had an objection would be beaten to a pulp.

"Okay, then. So…now we need a leader."

There was a rather awkward pause. "Um…anyone got any suggestions?" asked Edward.

Everyone shook their heads.

"Well…how about…Cedric Diggory?"

Several girls screamed, but Cedric shook his head.

"Nah, I don't think I'm good enough."

"Harry Potter?"

Harry went red and hung his head. "No."

"Why don't _you_ be the leader?" asked Hannah.

"Yeah," Bella encouraged, "It was your idea, after all…"

"But I'm not fit for the role," argued Edward.

"Then who is?" demanded Emmett.

"Someone who is willing…and who actually knows their stuff."

"So let's see…" said Hermione. "The only—"

"Or you could be our leader, Hermione," said Rosalie.

"No way. I'm just a load of books and cleverness," scoffed Hermione. "I'll never beat Harry."

But Cedric was looking at Alice.

"Didn't you go down to the Chamber of Secrets the year before the last?" he asked Alice. Alice's gut squirmed.

"Well, yeah, but the thing is—"

"So you could be our leader."

"I—"

"Agreed?" said Edward quickly, "That Alice is our leader?"

"Listen!" said Alice hotly. "I didn't do anything down there, it was—"

"Agreed," said everyone, eager to get the matter out of the way. Alice turned and glared at Edward.

"This is your entire fault."

He winked at her.

"Yes, Leader."

**AN**

**Oh my gosh! The number of reviews for this story beat Emmett Events, and it hasn't got as much chapters! Thank you all…**

**Okay, I'm hoisting a ****forum****, also called Only Slytherin. It's a place where you can go and discuss this story with other readers. Find out who else is reading this story with you, or maybe there is a point where you don't know what happened in the story. Just go to my profile and clikc on "My Forums"****or go to the site search engine and type in "Only Slytherin" and find the forum. I'm looking forward to hearing from you guys—especially the ones that never give me any feedback.**

**Please REVIEW!!!**


	20. Hogwarts’ Third Champion

**Hogwarts' Third Champion**

Alice stuffed her wand angrily into her robes and turned to her grinning friends.

"This—is—all—you—fault," she snarled at Edward, who was grinning the widest of all. He just shrugged.

"Well, we have to have a leader," he shrugged, as if that solved all problems.

Alice whirled in on him angrily. "So it's okay, then, is it?"

"Alice, please—"

"I'm going to bed," she announced, stomping up the stairs. But the Girl's dormitories could only keep Emmett and Edward out—Rosalie and Bella followed her. Hermione, sitting on the bed reading a book, looked up.

"Congratulations, Alice!"

Alice felt her face go red. 'It should have been Harry, not me," she said lamely.

Hermione beamed. "Oh, but at least our leader's a Gryffindor and a girl at the same time!"

Bella laughed. Alice glared at all of them before going to the bathroom and slamming the door shut. Well, at least the door was able to keep out everyone. Alice put her head in her hands. She wasn't at all like a leader. This was completely absurd. She knew _nothing_ about the Dark Arts, let alone know how to defend herself from them. And yet…

She could do it. After all, she had time. Apart from homework, there was nothing else to do. She couldn't be a champion—that much was certain, and there was no point trying to do nothing.

--

"Come on, Alice, we've still got Divination homework…"

Emmett pulled out his dream diary. Alice looked at it, disgusted.

"Let's just make up a load of rubbish," she complained. "I'm sick of this—I really want to drop it, like Hermione."

"I know…just predict our misfortunate futures…" Emmett began to write. "On Monday, I will be in danger of…suffering burns…because…Venus is in the twelfth house."

"You will be, we're seeing Hagrid's Blast-Ended Skrewts…all right, then, on Monday…I will receive detention…for drowning Snape in the prefects bathroom…because… because Pluto is far away."

Emmett chuckled as he continued to write. "That's right, Alice. _Pluto is far away._ Honestly. Let's see…on Tuesday, I will…cut myself. Because…the moon will be a crescent moon."

"We've got potions class to consider…it won't work if it's Snape doing the cutting, I'll have already drowned him…all right, then. On Tuesday, I will…be bitten by a dog…um…because…the moon will be full."

Emmett gave her a dark look. There was no question of what exactly _dog_ was. Alice shrugged.

"Sorry."

"On Wednesday…I will most likely come down with a cold, because the earth is round," Emmett continued.

"On Wednesday…I will…kill my cat, because…Saturn is large."

"On Thursday, I will lose a fight…because…Edward is stronger than me?"

"I was thinking about that one…okay, I'll lose a bet…because I was betting that you'd win your fight."

"On Friday, I will…get trampled by a hippogriff…um, because Hagrid's training one."

"On Friday," said Alice, completing the week, "I will have signed my death warrant because I will have been chosen for the school champion." She laid down a quill. "This is pathetic," she mused out loud. "Do you think she's going to fall for them?"

Professor Trelawney was absolutely thrilled when she read their predictions. However, Emmett received higher marks.

"I am sorry, Miss Brandon, but the chances of you being school champion are zero," she said, as an answer to Alice's complaints. She had a point, however; there was no way she could possibly get her name into the Goblet of Fire.

**~0o0o0o0o0o0o0~**

The Great Hall buzzed with excitement as the Goblet of Fire began to hiss, producing flames. Then a huge tongue of flame licked out and produced a piece of parchment, which Dumbledore took and read.

"The Durmstrang champion will be…Victor Krum!" shouted Dumbledore.

Cheers rose from the Slytherin side of the room, as many students from Durmstrang had decided to site there as Victor Krum rose, surly looking and duck-footed. Alice was secretly surprised that this was Emmett and Edward's "best seeker in the world." He looked nothing like a sportsperson. Krum went to the front of the Great Hall and disappeared from sight.

"..Fleur Delacour for Beauxbatons!" shouted Dumbledore. There was slightly less clapping for the girl who Alice recognized, with a pang of jealousy, the first Beauxbatons girl to try and flirt with Jasper.

"And…Cedric Diggory for Hogwarts!" beamed Dumbledore.

Alice clapped along with everyone else as Cedric rose, grinning. He looked much happier than the other two did, however.

"Excellent!" shouted Dumbledore when the clapping had died down. "I would like everyone to support their champions, as—"

However, he was broken off as the Goblet of Fire started to turn red, and instead, _two more pieces of parchment came out again._ Alice watched, a queasy feeling forming…

Dumbledore reached out and took the parchment.

"_Harry Potter and Alice Brandon."_

Alice felt numb. "No!" she whispered, in horror. Bella and Rosalie simply stared at her blankly. Over at the Slytherin table, she saw an expression of shock registered on Jasper's face as he looked back at her. She could see that Harry was feeling the same. "But how?"

"Alice, just get up there!" hissed Rosalie. Emmett and Edward were looking delighted. When she passed Emmett on the way up the front, Emmett winked at her.

"Alice, your prediction came true."

**~0o0o0o0o0o0o0~**

The DA faced her, sullen faced.

"Listen," said Alice, annoyed. "I didn't put my name in that Goblet of Fire, all right?"

"You've got a funny way of showing it," sneered Justin.

Cedric was not among the sneering Hufflepuffs that were now accusing Alice and Harry. Instead, he looked slightly amused.

"Yeah, but this is not what we are here for," Alice snapped. "I want everyone now to take out their wands. Now!"

Everyone obeyed, but with forced attitude.

"Okay…let's just start with_ Expelliarmus_, shall we?" asked Alice timidly.

"Oh, really!" scoffed a Hufflepuff, "_Expelliarmus?_ That's a first year spell!"

"I'd like to see you try it," sniffed Alice.

The Hufflepuff pointed her wand at her and said, "_Expelliarmus!_"

Nothing happened. Everyone laughed.

"There you are," said Alice. "So it's Expelliarmus for tonight."

As they continued to practice all night, Alice's thoughts wandered back to the Goblet of Fire. Madam Maxime and Karkaroff had been livid; they _demanded_ to know why Hogwarts deserved three champions. The truth was, Alice had no idea how that had occurred, but they didn't listen.

The first task was only a few days away. Harry, to her great surprise, had whispered to her that the first task would be to fight a dragon to get a golden egg. She was frightened by the very thought—dragons were a very, very dangerous sort of creature, and she had no idea how to fight one, let alone try to steal it's offspring.

Edward hurried towards her now. "Alice!" he said excitedly, holding a stack of parchment. "Look what I found!"

"Well, what?" asked Alice, irritated.

Edward showed her the parchments gleefully. It seemed to be some sort of notice, being holes all over it. "What is this?" asked Alice curiously.

"Emmett and I went into the Slytherin common room." He explained. "Look at this! We figured that the Slytherins might know what's going on—and look what we've found!" he brandished the parchment under her nose. Alice's eyes widened as she read them.

**Vengeance ****is Sweet**

**S****ick of seeing the Gryffindors win? Want to get some revenge?  
Our newest Gryffindor-torturing program is now on!  
Interested people: please report to the common room on Friday night, eleven pm.**

**S****upport Cedric Diggory—the Real Hogwarts Champion!  
****Alice Brandon and Edward Masen are Gryffindors and they SUCK.  
Our badge makers have a new badge for thought! Buy one, and  
Show your support for Cedric Diggory, the real Hogwarts champion!**

This was followed by

**T****he First Task: Dragons  
****The Hogwarts gamekeeper, the oaf Rebeus Hagrid  
has cheated into showing Harry Potter the first task:  
Dragons!  
No doubt that Brandon will also know of this—the stinking Gryffindors.**

Alice raised a skeptical eyebrow.

"Well, they're right. I do know about the dragons, but is this all that you sought so eagerly?"

"Huh?" Edward looked down at her parchment. "No, silly, it's the other ones."

Alice looked down.

**T****ip Off for the Later Tasks!  
****Second Task:  
****a prized possession of the champions will be taken from them and put  
to the bottom of the Lake.  
Will Potter survive? Most likely that he will get his bighead stuck.  
Third Task: The Maze  
The Triwizard Cup will be placed in the center of the maze, where  
the champions will have to get through the many obstacles to retrieve.  
the first one to touch it wins.**

"Um…nice try, Edward, but has it ever struck you that these Slytherins aren't exactly trustable?"

"Oh well, food for thought."

It wasn't that her friends weren't helping her; the fact was, she had absolutely no idea how to get past a dragon. She was sure that people would be laughing when they saw here, in comparison to the dragon. Size, thought Alice. If only I were taller…

Apart from being chosen as Hogwarts' champion, the next thing that happened was also very disturbing. On an evening two weeks after the disastrous fight in the Room of Requirement, she had seen Jasper dragging his trunk across the Great Hall, clearly heading for home.

"Where are you going?" she had asked.

"Home," was all he said.

"Why, though?"

He smiled at her. "My uncle wants to keep me away from school until I can learn how to take care of my wand properly," he said.

"How long will you be gone?"

"Quite a while." He avoided her eyes.

Alice felt a pang of disappointment. "Will you be back before Christmas?"

He guessed her thoughts. "No, Alice. I'm sorry. Maybe…maybe you should find someone else. I'm sure that there are plenty of boys who'd want to go with you, being a Hogwarts champion and all."

"I want to go with _you._"

Jasper laughed. "Well…we'll see."

Alice lowered her eyes. "Jasper, I'm afraid," she whispered.

"What's that?"

"I didn't put my name in the goblet, you know…"

"I'm sure you didn't, Alice. You couldn't have gotten over the aging line Dumbledore put there."

"But I don't know what to do! Harry's just tipped me off about the first task being a dragon…and we have to get an egg…"

"An egg? Wow, that's going to be dangerous…be careful, will you?"

"I need your help!" hissed Alice. Jasper looked at her thoughtfully.

"Can't you just plead with him?" asked Alice. Jasper seemed to find this extremely funny.

"Oh, I don't think that anyone, not even I will be brave enough to plead with anyone the likes of him." His tone was amused.

"For me?" said Alice, moving closer to him.

_C__lick!_

A sudden, bright flash of light caught the two of them on unawares. A very ugly looking woman was walking towards them, with weird glasses, yellow hair and a crocodile skin bag. Behind her, there was a man, holding a camera, which had evidently caused the flash. She walked towards them, a snake's smile on her face.

"Young, _love,_" she sighed, "A tremendously wonderful thing…especially with the Hogwarts champion…" she glanced, suddenly noticing their different scarf colours. "Oh!" she breathed suddenly, realizing the truth and pulling out a roll of parchment from her crocodile bag and a quick quotes quill. Alice had never liked them, and liked it even less when she started to fire questions away.

"Young Gryffindor champion finds comfort in enemy house…" she started to write. Alice and Jasper exchanged disgusted looks. She smiled down at Alice; however, she had to look up to see Jasper. "What is that you find worthy in each other?" she purred.

"What?" said Alice, feeling rather stupid.

"Oh, never mind…now, Alice, _how is it that you and Harry Potter's names found themselves into the Goblet of Fire?_"

"Look, I don't—"

"Alice!" came a voice. Alice looked to see Angelina Webber, a Ravenclaw coming to her from across the hall. When she approached Rita Skeeter, she looked faintly amused.

"Alice, Jessica wants to talk to you, come on…" she began dragging Alice away. Jessica? Alice didn't even know her.

"Hang on…" Alice doubled back to Jasper. "Can't you go later?" she begged.

Jasper sighed. "I'll think about it…" he muttered sullenly.

"Oh, Alice…" sang Angelina. Alice took one last look at Jasper, the Skeeter woman and the camera man and went off with Angelina. "What?"

"You want to stay away from Rita Skeeter," whispered Angelina.

"I know who she is," Alice whispered back.

"Believe me, no one has ever liked her influence. There _is_ no Jessica who wants to talk to you, of course—I just wanted you away from her." Angelina winked at Alice. "The Ravenclaws support you, Alice! Good luck!" she hurried away.

Which left Alice feeling completely stupid.

**~0o0o0o0o0o0o0~**

"_Accio book!"_

The book stayed where it was. Professor Flitwick shook his head.

"Try again, Alice."

Alice screwed her eyes up and tried again. _"Accio book!"_

Nothing happened. Frustrated, Alice simply went over to the book and grabbed it. Professor Flitwick laughed.

"It's a good idea, Alice, but I'm pretty sure that you won't want to walk every time you need something."

As the class finished, Alice thought back to the Charms class as she headed to dinner with the rest of her friends. Emmett and Edward were busy trying to _Accio_ each other across the room, which was causing quite a disturbance. Alice watched, uninterested as Emmett kept on bumping into people and causing a holdup for everyone trying to get to dinner. Then a voice spoke.

"May I have a word?"

Alice looked up, surprised, to see Jasper. "Sure," she agreed, abandoning her dinner.

He led her over to the Entrance Hall, where there were less people. "Have you figured out how to get past the dragon?" he asked her.

"No."

"Then take this advice: you need a spell to_ get what you need_."

"What is this all about?" she asked, frowning slightly.

"Think, Alice…I'm not supposed to tell you…you need to get the egg, don't you? And to get the egg, you need a charm to get the egg…you need to summon the egg…"

"The Summoning Charm!" said Alice excitedly. Jasper nodded.

"Just one spell and the egg's yours."

Alice grinned. "Just one thing, though. I have trouble performing the Summoning Charm."

"What are friends for?"

**AN**

**Here we are, at CHAPTER 20! Okay, that's about an average of...five per year. I promise to go more slowly…**

**And a big THANK YOU to everyone that went up to the Only Slytherin Forum to help me…I will now give you a…Emmett?**

**Please REVIEW!!!**


	21. The Dragon Rider

**The Dragon Rider**

There was a lump in Alice's throat as she gazed up at the dragon towering over her.

It roared at her. She quickly scrambled out of the way as the dragon breathed out a jet of fire at her and tried to flatten her with its scaly foot. Then, to Alice's great surprise, the dragon spoke in Jasper's voice.

"Wake up, Alice!"

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0~**

Alice jolted awake with a start. At first, she wasn't even sure why she was in the Room of Requirement, with a million things scattered around her, ranging from books, ink bottles, clocks, whistles, a Hufflepuff cloak, a chocolate frogs, a Comet Two Sixty, an orange ball that muggles called basketballs, several rolls of parchment and, to her surprise, Jasper himself.

Alice's thoughts worked back with effort as she remembered the last thing she knew: she and Jasper were practicing the Summoning Charm in the Room of Requirement. Alice had failed time after time miserably. Finally, at half past two, Jasper had called it off, suggesting that perhaps it would probably be best if she got some sleep before the First Task. However, when he had turned towards the door to leave, Alice thought of Emmett and Edward practicing Accio-ing each other across the Great Hall and decided to try it on Jasper's departing figure. The result had not been pretty; her spell was so strong that he came zooming back into the room faster than Harry Potter's Firebolt, slamming into her and knocking her out completely. However, when she opened her eyes five minutes later, Jasper was grinning at her now.

"Alice, you did it! You've just preformed a Summoning Charm! Though not the way I'd like it," he added as an afterthought.

Alice smiled queasily. "Let's just hope I can manage it tomorrow afternoon."

"You mean, _today_ afternoon," Jasper corrected her.

"Oh shoot! I forgot!" she jumped up, eager for more practice, but Jasper shook his head.

"No more, Alice. You're going to need your strength for tomorrow—I mean, today." He smiled. Alice turned her wand to her bag, which was lying several meters away from her. "Accio bag!"

The bag flew towards her. Alice grinned as she hoisted it over her shoulder. "Well, are we going to practice this morning?"

Jasper, halfway through a tired yawn, choked.

"Have mercy on me, Alice!"

The corridors were deserted as Alice ran back to Gryffindor Tower, her heart bursting with excitement at what she had just accomplished that night, summoning everything she could on the way, including the ink bottles Peeves tried to drop on her head.

"Where have you been?" an irritated Bella asked Alice as she bounced into bed. "I've been looking all over for you—Viktor Krum wants to ask you to the Yule Ball."

"Forget it," Alice told Rosalie brightly. Normally, she'd be angry, but having achieved the Summoning Charm was still sending her in high spirits. She pointed her wand at Rosalie's pillow from the next bed. "Accio Pillow!"

There was a yell as Rosalie's pillow came zooming out from under Rosalie's head. Rosalie sat up and glared at Alice through sleepy eyes—not unlike the one that her brother always gave Draco Malfoy.

"What are you doing, Alice?"

Alice waved back in response. Rosalie muttered a few more curses, then tried to grab for her pillow, but Alice wouldn't let go. "Give me back my pillow, Alice!"

"Shan't give you nothing if you won't say please," taunted Alice.

Rosalie rolled her eyes. "Fine. Please give my pillow back."

Alice grinned. "Ha! I said that I won't give you nothing if you won't say please! You said please, so I'm not giving you anything!"

Rosalie glared at her once more. "Are you picking a fight?"

"A pillow fight, yes."

"Pillow fight!" squealed Lavender Brown, hopping out of bed and chucking her pillow at Rosalie's head. "I love pillow fights!"

Hermione, who had just woken up, sat up, looking confused.

"Alice, aren't you supposed to be doing your task tomorrow? Why are you still awake? If—ow!"

Bella's pillow had just hit her over the head. Hermione looked more confused. Then an evil grin spread over her face.

"THAT'S IT, BELLA! YOU ARE GOING TO FEEL THE WRATH OF A MUGGLE!!!!!"

Alice chuckled as all the girls woke up and began a furious pillow fight in the dormitory. Occasionally, she would start to practice the Summoning Charm again, only to be disturbed by a pillow aimed for her. The boys began to call out complaints from next door.

"What's going on?"

Fred and George Weasley began to shout with excitement. "Pillow fights! Pillow fights, everyone!"

The Gryffindor Prefect came down, rubbing his eyes. "Oi!" he yelled up at the girls giggling at the top of the stairs to the girls' dormitories. "Get back to bed!"

There was a silence. Then the Gryffindor girl prefect chucked a pillow down at him.

"Grow up."

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0~**

It certainly wasn't as terrifying, but when Alice pulled out a miniature model of the Titan Ugly Thunder from the bag of dragons, she couldn't help but giggle. It was certainly easy to see how it had earned its unusual name; it looked like a sack of potatoes when she lifted it out of the bag. However, her smile died on her lips when she looked at the other's dragons, which were all ten times tinier and less scary looking than hers. She gulped and secretly hoped that the Titan Ugly Thunder was too fat to fly.

The tent slowly cleared…Cedric was to go first…then Fleur, then Krum…Harry was looking green was he walked out of the tent. Alice tried to meditate…she heard the ooes and ahs of the audience…Bagman was shouting something that she couldn't hear…

And then it was her turn.

_**And here we are…our last and youngest champion: Mary Alice Brandon!**_

_There were several boos as the Slytherins, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students jeered and laughed at Alice's disastrous first name._

Facing the dragon was something a hundred times more terrifying than the one in her dream the previous night. At least the one didn't have as many rows of teeth as this one. Nor did it have the ability to shake the earth when it stamped on the ground. Alice took a deep breath.

_**What spell will she use? How will she confront the Titan Ugly Thunder, the King of all Dragons?**_

Huh? The King of all Dragons? Well, you'll soon find out how I'm going to take on this little beastie…but little was an understatement. Massive, colossal, enormous, gargantuan, gigantic and…vast would have suited the monster in front of her.

"Accio Golden Egg!"

_**Look at that! Look at that! Our youngest champion really has brains! A simple Summoning Charm and the egg's hers! Uh-oh…**_

She was a second too late, however; although the dragon was lumpy and ugly, it was certainly very angry and not very stupid. And it wasn't too heavy to fly. It lunged at her, its jaws snapping. Alice got out of the way only at the last second; where she was a second ago was now a smoking hole. She looked up at the dragon, which was coming back for seconds. It snapped at her again. And then Alice did something that was both very stupid and brave.

As the dragon's thick skull connected with the ground, Alice reached up and grabbed hold onto one of the many spikes on its head. At least now she was not in front of the dragon…

_**Oh dear, oh dear…but our champion is now the first to get her egg! But she'll have to get off that dragon first…**_

And the egg was zooming towards her now. Alice realized something incredibly stupid…she was holding onto the spike with both hands. The egg was huge. She'd have to shift her position somehow, or else she wouldn't be able to hold the egg. With great effort, she pulled herself onto a sitting position on top of the bucking dragons back as the egg flew into her hands. Now she was clutching with both knees…if she let go or the dragon shook her off, she would certainly be dead.

The dragon was agitated, obviously; it felt she was there and was trying with all its might to buck her off. _Not a chance,_ thought Alice grimly. Then, spotting one of the poles supporting the audience, she pointed at it with her wand.

"Wingardium Leviosa!"

The pole rose into the air and the whole tent collapsed. Alice had no time to see that the tents belonged to a crowd of jeering Slytherins before the pole came down on the dragon's head with a thick _crack._ The dragon roared in anger, and then took flight—with Alice still on it.

"Get down!" she tried to scream at the dragon, but no, it couldn't understand her. The pole was still repeatedly striking the dragon; if it passed out in the air, she would most certainly die…

The dragon obviously thought so, because it did fly lower, but it continued to dodge the pole, which was chasing them in hot pursuit. If only she could get down…

And get down she did. For the pole struck its last and the dragon began to fall. Alice gripped tightly to its back, hoping that it wouldn't land on it…the air rushed past her, they were gaining speed…

The dragon struck the ground with an ear-splitting crash. Alice, winded, tumbled off its back. With relief, she noticed that she was alive and breathing, and the whole crowd was cheering—apart from the tangle of _Support Cedric Diggory_ Slytherins, who were still trying to untangle themselves from each other. Then the next thing she saw was just hilarious:

Rita Skeeter had been standing far too close to the stands when Alice had crashed down. The dragon's breath had set her hair on fire and now she was running around, her hair ablaze…

"Will you just look at that!" screamed Bagman into the cheering crowd. "Our youngest champion is the quickest to her egg—and she didn't even receive a burn!"

And Bella, Rosalie, Edward and Emmett were first to reach her as the tide of supporters came over to _bury_ her in the crowd. "You did it, you did it!" shouted Bella, flinging her arms around Alice's neck. Edward and Emmett were looking quite delighted, acting out the last scene of Alice' performance with several fake screams, but they meant well. Rosalie, however, expressed her feeling by chucking a pillow at Alice, which was returned to her with much laughter.

"How much did I get?" Alice asked excitedly. Emmett squinted at the judges table above all the supporters.

"Madam Maxime is giving you nine…Crouch's giving you ten…Dumbledore's giving you ten…Bagman's giving you nine and…_what, you lousy bitch? You gave Krum ten!_"

Rosalie raised her eyebrows as Edward began doing the sums.

"Karkaroff only gave her seven!" said Emmett heatedly.

"Geez, that's a lot," said Edward, rolling her eyes, "in comparison to the four that he gave Harry…"

"That adds up to forty five, first place!" said Emmett excitedly. "Alice, you've got a head start!"

Alice grinned to herself. Then her grin faded when she remembered what she had used to knock out the dragon with.

"Oh, no!" she said, horrified, "I didn't _hurt_ anyone, did I?"

"Hurt is an understatement of what you did," mumbled a voice close to her ear. She jumped and turned to see Jasper, his arm in a sling but grinning as widely as Emmett.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, I—"

"Doesn't matter. Although you could try to be a little more careful the next time you want to find something to knock out a dragon," he smirked.

Edward seemed to find it amusing. "Oh, how did you break something like that?" he teased Jasper. "Did Crabbe or Goyle sit on you?"

"Sadly, yes," responded Jasper, which made Emmett and Edward roar with laughter. Jasper began to smile, but then the smile died on his lips and changed to an expression of pure horror when he looked over Alice's shoulder and Alice heard a scream that was unmistakingly Fleur. Seconds later, Fleur pushed through the Gryffindors and reached Jasper. Alice noticed that she had a quill in her hand, and that Ron Weasley was gaping at her like an idiot. Fleur turned to Jasper, smiling widely that had all the boys hyperventilating. Rosalie and Bella's smiles were suddenly wiped off their faces and Emmett and Edward turned away from her, as though afraid to see her face.

"I 'eard zat you broke your arm," she purred at Jasper, who looked ready to run for it any moment. "Vould you like 'e to sign your 'ast?"

Jasper backed away. "Um, Laissez la paix s'il vous plaît à moi, madamoizelle."

It was a mistake to speak to her in her own language; she beamed at him.

"Vous pouvez parler français! Magnifique! Alors irez-vous à la danse avec moi ? S'il vous plaît ?"

Alice cleared her throat. "Let's go," she said to Jasper, tugging impatiently on his sleeve. Fleur looked down at her haughtily, and then stalked off with her nose in the air. Emmett and Edward seemed to have overcome a fit a laughter that was threatening to burst. Jasper, slightly reddened, expressed his feelings by aiming a punch at the two of them and failing miserably as Emmett punched him back. Bella laughed lightly.

"Well, go on, Alice, let's see what you have in the egg, go on!"

Alice realized that she had the egg still clutched in her hands. "Okay," she said, turning into an empty classroom. The other five followed her in, three of them still fighting. "Boys! Stop it!"

Emmett and Edward stopped in the middle of the act of trying to tear Jasper's good arm off. "Oh, all right, then," Emmett said sulkily and let go of Jasper. Edward paused before releasing Jasper's head, which he had trapped between his arms. Alice glared at all three of them and opened the egg.

A scream protruded from the egg; it sounded like a million nails against the blackboard, or zillion fan girls screaming all at once. Alice dropped the egg, which rolled under the table.

"SHUT IT!" bellowed Emmett, both hands over his ears. Alice summoned the egg and snapped it shut.

"What was that?" asked Rosalie in a shaky voice.

"I dunno, but it's probably what Emmett sounds like in the bath," muttered Jasper under his breath. Emmett rounded on him.

"Haven't had enough pummelling from me, eh?"

"Oh, stop it. I don't see how this is going to help," said Rosalie, frowning as she studied the egg.

"Well, you don't need to worry for now," said Edward rather carelessly. "I mean, the second task's on the twenty fourth of February, right? So you have plenty of time."

Alice stuffed the egg back into her bag. "Yeah. So that's the first task." She looked up at them. "Anyone for dinner?"

"Hang on, Alice, I've got something to show you…" Rosalie fished for something in her pocket and drew out a badge that was a horrible puke-green colour. "Look at this."

The badge read _Support Cedric Diggory, the real Hogwarts champion!_

"So?" said Alice, trying to hand it back. "I know, I've seen this."

"Not this one," said Rosalie, pressing on it. The words changed to _Alice is a Moron_

Alice laughed. "Well, who'd have thought of it?"

Jasper smiled. "I believe it was Malfoy's idea." He reached for the badge.

"What are you going to do?" asked Alice cautiously.

Jasper took out is wand and tapped it. The letters changed into _Support Alice, the real Hogwarts champion!_ When Alice took it back and pressed it, the letters changed into_ Malfoy stinks more than a Hogwarts toilet seat._

Emmett and Edward laughed while Rosalie and Bella began to squabble for the new badge. Alice smiled. "Well, it wasn't necessary, but thanks."

They began to walk back to the Great Hall for dinner. On the way, Malfoy's bruised and bloody face cheered Alice up more than anything. The Slytherins booed and hissed loudly as she passed, but then Bella and Rosalie flashed the new badges at them.

The price of one badge: three sickles.

The look on Malfoy's face: priceless.

**AN**

**This chapter is dedicated to **Songs-of-the-Wolf** for suggesting me to burn the Skeeter Woman's hair of...**

**Translations:  
****Laissez la paix s'il vous plaît à moi, madamoizelle******** Please leave me alone, Miss.  
Vous pouvez parler français! Magnifique! Alors irez-vous à la danse avec moi ? S'il vous plaît ******** You can speak French! Wonderful! Then will you go to the dance with me? Please?**

**Phew,**** gotten the exams out of the way at last~we'll be soon reaching the YULE BALL in the next chapter!**

**Please REVIEW!!!**


	22. The Prehistoric Champion

**The Prehistoric Champion**

Rita Skeeter, on the other hand, had been evidently furious at having all her hair burnt off. One day, at a trip to Hogsmeade, they met her yet again.

It was a sunny afternoon. Rosalie was buying beauty products.

"But Ro-ose" complained Bella, whining and making Rose into two whiny syllables, "you're _pretty_ enough already. Why do you need anything else?"

Rosalie had picked up a bottle of hair dye. It was purple hair dye.

"Hm, how do you think this is going to look on Rita Skeeter?" she eyed Emmett, Edward and Jasper outside the shop, discussing something else. They didn't _dare_ enter the shop—it was crowded with giggling girls that would fling themselves around their necks, especially with the upcoming ball.

"Who cares?" said Bella impatiently. "Come on, Rosalie, let's go…"

But Rosalie didn't go. Instead, she stayed behind and continued to look at the hair dyes.

"What's that?" asked Edward, sticking his head through the window. Rosalie jumped.

"Edward! You frightened the hell out of me!"

"Sorry. But why do you need hair dye?"

"Because of her blonde hair," came Jasper's bored reply from outside. "She's worried that people will start cracking blonde jokes at—ow!"

Rosalie had reached outside and yanked a fistful of Jasper's equally light-coloured hair. "Eh? What's that, Blondie?"

"Nothing, Rose, sorry, please—"

Alice tried not to laugh as she saw Rosalie twisting Jasper's hair seven-hundred and twenty-degrees (two circles) and Jasper's expression of pain.

"Hey!" grinned a Ravenclaw boy in the same year as them, watching the fun. Alice recognized him as Seth Clearwater—his sister, Leah was standing several meters behind, watching with an expression of amusement on her face. "Is this a torture club?"

"Yes," said Rosalie, adding another three hundred and sixty degrees (another circle) to Jasper's hair. Alice was amazed at how Rosalie could bring her arm around like that.

"Can we join?" asked Seth excitedly.

"Join and be hexed," came Jasper's disgruntled reply.

Leah laughed. "Okay. You know what, Alice?" she said, turning to Alice. "Rita Skeeter's there, just up by the Three Broomsticks. We came to warn you—she's interviewing Harry Potter right now."

Alice's jaw dropped to her feet. "That Skeeter woman? She's going to flip if she sees me for setting her hair on fire!"

Seth, halfway through a suggestion to Rosalie, stopped. "You know what she said?"

"No. What?"

"She said 'have you seen Gryffindor's champion?' and we told her 'no,' and she told us that if we saw you, she wants to make you on the front page!"

Alice's heart sank. Emmett laughed.

"Has she still got her hair on?"

"Sadly, yes," said Leah. "She used some sort of potion…"

Jasper finally wrenched his hair out of Rosalie's deadly grip. "I'm not going to walk with you guys," he said huffily, although Alice could see that he was joking. "I don't think I deserved to be treated like this…"

"That's because you're a stinking Slytherin," sneered Hannah Abbot and Ernie McMillan as they walked out of the store, sniggering.

"Hey!" Alice started to say, but Seth and Leah beat her to it.

"Oh yeah? And you two are two horrendous Hufflepuffs," snapped Leah.

"Not to mention a prat for going into a woman's store, Ernie," sniggered Seth. Both of them stared them down.

"You got a problem, Clearwater? Support Harry Potter, do you two?"

"No," said Leah carelessly. "We support Alice."

"You support that freakish pixy?"

Alice swelled with anger. The word _pixy_ got onto her nerves.

"Of course we do," snapped Seth. "And she's no pixy. If she's a pixy, you two are bigheaded pigs. Tell Cedric that: a younger champion beat him to the dragon's egg more quickly, and it was the King of all Dragons. Why didn't he use his brain?"

Alice was starting to flush a crimson red. A crowd began to form.

"You got a problem with Cedric?" demanded several sixth years, who, Alice noticed, were all wearing Jasper's _Support Alice_ badges.

"Yes, we do," said Emmett loudly. The sixth years looked at him.

"You people are Brandon's men through and through, aren't you?"

"Men?" said Rosalie loudly. The Hufflepuffs laughed nastily.

"What's going on?" came Ron Weasley's voice.

"Never mind you, Potter supported," said Justin in a cutting voice.

"Oh yeah? Potter supporter? Well, you people support Cedric for his pretty face!"

The words did their magic; several Hufflepuffs screamed in admiration. Ron snorted.

"You've got a nerve—" Justin started to say, but he was cut off by a loud clicking noise. Everyone whirled around to see Rita Skeeter and the cameraman, hair and all.

"Dear me, this is quite a story…" she murmured. "So," she said, snapping her attention to Alice. "Could I have a quick word about the match, Alice?"

Alice, watching Seth, Leah, Jasper and Rosalie smirking about something behind Rita's back, said hotly: "yeah, you can have a word. Good bye." And she turned her back firmly on Rita and the crowd. "Come on, guys…"

Alice was so angry about the argument, it wasn't until they reached the Three Broomsticks that Alice realized that Jasper and Rosalie were missing. "Where's Jasper and Rosalie?" asked Emmett, looking around.

'I dunno, she said something about hair dye…" muttered Edward.

Just then, Jasper and Rosalie came in, followed by Seth and Leah, all breathless with laughter.

"Where've you been?" asked Bella rather grumpily.

"Come on, you've _got_ to see this, Alice," said Rosalie, out of breath. Alice frowned as they dragged her through the streets.

"Down!" Seth shoved her behind a bush. Alice watched Rita Skeeter and the cameraman come past. "So?"

"Look at her hair," giggled Leah. Alice watched, in disbelief as Rita's hair began changing colours—first red, then blue, then purple. She looked at Rosalie's hand, which was clutching the empty hair dye. Several people were already pointing at her and giggling.

"Come on, let's go," said Leah, as Rita began to look suspicious. They ran up the path and back to the castle, still laughing. As they entered the Great Hall, Seth chuckled: "when do you think she's going to find out?"

A furious howl that broke out from the far away village told them that soon, very soon.

But Rita Skeeter was on the least of Alice's worries. Possibly, the worst thing in the world was to dance with a Hufflepuff. Or so Alice thought. But that was before she met Mike Newton.

"Alice, Alice, will you _please_ go to the ball with me?"

"SHUT IT, MIKE!" Alice yelled at the stupid Hufflepuff whose IQ was as low as Jasper's was high. Oh, why was it that he couldn't understand that she didn't want to go with him? Or perhaps it was only because she was a school champion? Either way, she wasn't in the mood. But Mike Newton was still following her around. Alice longed to throw the pot of Devil's Snare in his stupid, innocent face, but decided against it, as Professor Sprout was watching.

However Alice felt, though, she was still thinking about the warning that Jasper had given her before the first task. He had said that his uncle had postponed him leaving the school for only a few weeks. Seven days after the first task, he was gone. There had been only a few letters from him, all which were very short.

"You _will_ try to make it back in time for the dance, won't you?" she pleaded him as he dragged his trunk across the Great Hall once more.

"I will _try,_ but I cannot _promise_ you_,_ Alice. I suggest you, really, to find another partner before you end up with none. Oh," he added in a low voice. "Alice, if the egg doesn't say anything in the air, then try it in another element." With that, he left, leaving Alice feeling very stupid and puzzled indeed.

"_Make sure,_ Miss Brandon, that you _find a partner,_" Professor McGonagall said for the zillionth time as she passed a mouse to Alice to disappear. "Mr. McCarty and Mr. Masen, if you two do that to mouse again, you will receive detention…"

Rosalie, sitting beside Emmett, shoved him in the ribs.

The trouble was, Alice had been hoping for Jasper to be back before the Christmas holidays so that he would have a chance to ask her out to the dance. However, there was no sign of him through November, and she was getting quite desperate.

Then, on the evening before the ball, she knew that she had no choice but to agree to Mike's invitation.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Alice knew that it was going to be horrible when she slipped on her dress robe.

"Ha, ha, ha," laughed Rosalie, pointing to her. "Prehistoric Alice!"

Alice glared at her. "Stupid, pretty dress owner," she growled back.

Hermione couldn't help, either. None of the spells she did helped; in fact, it made it even worst when she produced more ruffles than necessary.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Alice!" she moaned after turning it puke-green.

"Doesn't matter," said Alice through clenched teeth.

But it did matter, as she found out. Mike was wearing a classic muggle-like tux, and he was waving to Jessica Stanley from across the room. Jessica kept on pointing to Alice's horrible dress robe and laughing, and Alice had the sudden thought that perhaps he had wanted her out to look good in front of her.

It was the worst evening of her life, Alice thought as Mike talked about Quidditch all throughout dinner.

"I went to the World Cup," he boasted with his mouth full at dinner, spraying the table with saliva.

What made it worse was the fact that Mike couldn't dance. He kept on stepping on her feet, which caused them to bruise and swell terribly. After the first dance, Alice collapsed into the nearest chair and escaped from Mike, who went off to dance with Jessica.

She couldn't believe it. A whole summer's of training…all for nothing. And so Alice learnt that the dancing with a Hufflepuff was not at all something bad (when she saw Cedric and Cho) but dancing with a damning cute Hufflepuff that couldn't dance was just covering half the battle.

Emmett was whirling away gracefully with Rosalie. Rosalie was just simply … dazzling. There was no other word for it. And Edward and Bella were…just wonderful. Alice felt her eyes moisturize…

"So…am I allowed the pleasure of dancing with a school champion?"

Alice looked up in disbelief. And Jasper was standing there, looking down at her. Alice noticed that his dark blue dress robe—thankfully—was more modern than Ron's or hers. There as something different about the way he looked—maybe it was simply the absence of the normally ton of books he often had slung over one shoulder—or was there something else? Alice nodded.

"You can, but I'm afraid Mike borrowed me and returned me in a state not fit for dancing." She pointed to her feet.

Jasper took the hint. "So, Mike Newton can't dance well? I think he did it on purpose, though; he's perfectly fine with Jessica Stanley. Maybe he did it to make himself look better in front of her."

Alice glared at Mike from across the dance floor. "I should have known!" then, with a doubtful look at Jasper, she asked cautiously: "Can you?"

Jasper laughed. "Dancing," he said, looking at the enormous clock that was hung on the wall, "Is a second nature to me, Alice. Seven-thirty already. Do you want to dance?"

"I told you that—hey!" Alice gave an exclamation of surprise. Jasper had taken out his wand and the bleeding and bruises on her feet disappeared, leaving them good as new. Then he looked at her dress and raised an eyebrow. "Not happy with this colour? It looks pretty good on you."

"It's awful!" said Alice hotly. "There's too much pink! I _hate_ pink! And puke-green!"

Jasper gave a small laugh. "May I, then?"

"What?"

The awful pink patches on her dress began to change colour. "Green? Yellow? Red? Purple?" teased Jasper, giving his wand a little wave before naming each colour.

"Purple looks pretty god, yeah," said Alice, stopping on the last colour.

"Wow, we almost match now," Jasper pulled a face. Alice noticed that they did sort of match—dark blue against light blue. "No more laces and ruffles? Or _less_ of them?"

"Less, please! I think I will drown in them if I have any more."

No sooner than said, the extra laces disappeared, leaving her free to move her arms and legs. "Wow, thanks," she said, turning red.

Jasper smiled. "Okay, then. Let's dance."

The last two words sent a thrill through Alice. She stood up, gingerly testing her feet. When she was ready, she looked up. "Okay, I'm ready."

Maybe it was a coincidence, but the Weird Sisters suddenly struck up a new song, which was quite slow at first. "Ladies and Gentlemen!" shouted Dumbledore, smiling widely now, "it is my pleasure to open the annual dancing contest!"

"Contest?" asked Alice, puzzled.

"You should know. It's to see who can keep it up, till the end of the dance."

"…I would like everyone now to pick a partner and _stick to him or her!_ No cheating! Very well, here we go!"

Alice placed her hand on Jasper's shoulder and he took her other hand and placed another on her waist. Feeling suddenly lightheaded, she tried to remember what she had learnt that summer—left foot forward, right foot, left foot again, together—but it was all fading away now, as the music started—a slow waltz.

At first, her moves were slightly stiff, but then as the music became faster, she found that dancing was more fun when dancing with a different gender—at least the other didn't know your dance steps by heart and didn't snap at you when you placed a foot wrong. The movements were now coming effortlessly and her heart leapt as the music suddenly went up to a higher pitch and Jasper swept her off the ground and into the air. Although she was only airborne for half a second, she could see Rosalie and Emmett waving from the other side of the dance floor. Both of them were dazzling, but Alice didn't think that they'd ever feel as she was feeling now.

And then the music became much faster, and suddenly, the both of them were twirling in endless circles now…Alice's hair, which she had decidedly left uncut for one year now spun out behind her like a sheet of wave…

Then Alice came to realize that her feet were hardly touching the ground, as the music began steadily reaching a speed twice as fast as the previous. Despite the speed, she could see several people falling back, panting as they couldn't catch the tempo of the dance. She saw Bella trip and bring Edward down with her and smiled as the memories of the summer holidays reached her again and thanked her lucky stars that she wasn't in Edward's position at the moment. Alice saw Mike and Jessica sitting down, both red in the face as they couldn't keep up with the music. Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley were sitting together—were they gay?—and Hermione Granger still trying to dance with Viktor Krum. Viktor Krum was an athlete and he obviously fine, but as Hermione spent so much of her time in the library, sitting down and reading, her fitness skills were far behind Krum's. Alice removed her gaze from all this and gazed, once more, into Jasper's eyes, which were even more like sapphires tonight.

"Dizzy?" he asked her, smiling.

Alice shook her head. "No. I could go on like this forever."

"Even when the music is so fast?"

"Ha, ha," said Alice, rolling her eyes. "We're going for first prize, Jasper. You must know that."

"Are we?"

She glared at him playfully. "Yes." Then, as an afterthought, "if you can keep it up."

"Do my hands feel wet, Alice?"

She wriggled her fingers. "No, but they're hot."

"Silly Alice," Jasper laughed, "can you expect me to dance for half an hour and not get hot?"

"Well, yes, I could, but only if you're something supernatural…like…a vampire or a werewolf? And how come we've been dancing for half an hour already?" Alice frowned. "It doesn't seem that long."

"Of course not, Alice. Enjoying yourself is supposed to be what we're here for, and time always passes more quickly when you do."

Alice gestured to the others. "They are not."

"Well, it's a matter of fitness skills, actually." He eyed Hermione and Krum, who had finally giving up and were looking at the two of them in envy.

And now there were fewer and fewer people left on the dance floor…Emmett and Rosalie were still going, but Alice could see that Rosalie was struggling. She had never felt so fine in her life—it was as if everything was perfect. The tempo continued to climb faster uphill…

…and now, only Dumbledore was dancing with Professor McGonagall (Madam Maxime had gone off to have a few brandies with Hagrid). The only couples dancing now were Dumbledore with Professor McGonagall and Alice with Jasper. They were now the runner ups! The students began to cheer on the two of them.

"You can beat Dumbledore, Alice! Keep it up!" shouted Bella.

"Don't give up, Alice!" called Rosalie.

Hagrid, however, was a little drunk.

"Dumbledore's bes'," Alice heard him talking to Madam Maxime. "'ourse he can beat the students!"

_We'll see,_ thought Alice to herself. However, she was starting to feel a little doubtful; her arms were slowly tiring and turning into lead, and Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall were showing no signs of tiredness. Jasper frowned at her sudden lack of enthusiasm.

"Do you want to give up?" he asked. "We can stop, you know."

"No!" insisted Alice. "We're winning this."

"You're very firm on this, aren't you?"

"Why, yes I am."

Fred and George Weasley were now placing bets; they had turned the dinner tables into a place for betting on who would win. Alice felt cheered when she saw that both of them had placed large bets on Jasper and her. Even the Durmstrang students were betting—many of them were betting that Dumbledore might win. Alice gritted her teeth; she knew that the Weasley twins weren't exactly what most people would call 'rich,' and if she gave up, they'd have to pay a rather large amount…but then her eyes became unfocused as she was slowly panting for breath. She could see that Jasper the same reactions; through his hand, she could feel his heartbeat, and it was somehow faster than the music that the Weird Sisters were still striking and knew that hers was probably much faster.

"Are you all right, Alice?" asked Jasper worriedly.

"No," breathed Alice, "I can handle this…"

"Alice, _don't give up!_" shouted Rosalie.

"I won't!" she tried to say, but she didn't have enough strength to open her eyes now. She was slowly slipping consciousness now… the whole room was starting to spin…

"Alice!" came Jasper's voice. She looked up, seeing doubles. "You told me that you are going to win first prize, right? Well, you've got to try harder than that if you want to. Or perhaps you're giving up?" and he smiled once more, a crooked smile that always made her stare.

It worked. She realized now that the Weird Sisters were playing a slow waltz—trying to send her sleep, obviously. Well, she'd show them…she could do this…

A sudden slumping sound made her look around. Professor McGonagall had collapsed in Dumbledore's arms, fast asleep. There was the briefest pause—then—

"YOU WON!" shrieked Rosalie and Bella, coming from across the room. "Alice, you won! You and Jasper broke the record!"

"What record?" she asked, her strength returning.

"The longest annual dancing contest record at Hogwarts," said Jasper softly. "We passed it by fifteen minutes."

Alice looked up at the time and felt her blood run cold. "What? _Twelve o'clock?_"

"Well, it's not called the annual dance contest for nothing," snorted Emmett, clapping Alice's shoulder. "Well done, Alice! It's always been McGonagall and Dumbledore for the past fifty years, but now it's you!"

"So what's the prize?" asked Edward.

"I don't know," mumbled Alice. "But I hope it's an extra two hours in bed." And with that, still clutching Jasper's hand, she passed out in dead faint.

**AN**

**He, he, he…the one that you've all been looking forward to, I suppose…I hope you enjoyed it. **

**Dedicated to Reader13lovesbooks, for the idea of the purple dye.**

**Please check out my new story - I am the Messenger.**

**And as I'm aiming for 300 today...**

**Please REVIEW!!!**


	23. Aftermath

**Aftermath**

When Alice opened her eyes, all that she felt at first was soreness.

Her arms and legs ached everywhere. The feeling reminded her of the first feeling she had experienced when she learnt how to dance in the summer holidays. It was exactly like that now. Even her throat ached, but that might be because of the fever that she was feeling.

With difficulty and groaning, she sat up and looked around. She was in the hospital wing, and a clock on the wall told her that it was ten o'clock at night. Looking by her bedside, she saw a large vase with a bunch of flowers stuck into it. The vase itself looked like it was about to burst—there were so many flowers in it. She recognized one of them as the Perfume Roses that Jasper had given to her in their second year and resolved not to stick her face anywhere near it.

But what made her happier was that her five friends were there, sitting by her beside, although they weren't all awake. In fact, they were asleep. Bella had her head resting on Edward's shoulder, who was leaning against Emmett, who had his arm around Rosalie. There was another figure (whom Alice could only assume was Jasper) who had put a rather large spell book (Common Magical Ailments and Afflictions) over his or her face. Alice grinned and pinched Emmett.

Emmett jolted awake. "Alice!" he said. Rosalie, Edward and Bella, roused by his sudden movement all sat up straighter, looking confused.

"Alice, you're' awake!" said Rosalie, rubbing her eyes.

"Big deal," Alice tried to say, but all that came out was a dry croak.

"Don't try to talk," advised Bella, "you've been sleeping for several days. Jasper, you lazy idiot, where is the potion?" she ripped the book away. Jasper blinked under the sudden harsh light, then groaned and tried to take the book back.

"Alice is awake!" Emmett roared in his face.

"Don't," he pleaded once more. "You've got morning breath, Emmett." Then his became alert instantly. "Alice?"

"Why does everyone think that me waking is such an important matter?" Alice asked grumpily.

"You've been out for a week, Alice!" said Edward. The others nodded.

"Why's the room spinning?" she groaned.

"You've got a fever," explained Rosalie worriedly.

"Over-working yourself," mumbled Emmett.

Jasper dragged out a cauldron from under the bed. "Alice, Madam Pomfrey is _sick,_" he said, adding something into the purple liquid that smoked continuously. "So we decided—"

"—you," muttered Edward.

"—to make you something that's going to make you feel better," he finished, putting out the blue fire with his wand. Alice eyed the liquid uneasily.

"Is that going to work?" she asked warily.

"Ah, Alice, don't you trust me?" he put on a hurt look.

"Well…" she looked at the book that he had been reading. "Are you sure it's safe?"

Emmett laughed. "Of course, Alice. Look, we even tried it on Draco Malfoy! And he's perfectly fine…"

Alice was still doubtful when she took the smoking goblet from Jasper. But one gulp of it stung her throat terribly; she coughed as a fiery sensation began to spread from her stomach and to the rest of her body, warming her freezing fingers.

"Better?" asked Rosalie anxiously.

Alice blinked the tears out of her eyes. "Yeah. What _is_ this?"

Jasper grinned. "A particularly strong cough potion."

Alice sighed. "I could sleep forever…"

"It does do that, you know—make you all tired and everything. You need rest, Alice."

The last thing she saw before slipping into the darkness was Madam Pomfrey stomping into the room, looking far worst than her.

**~0o0o0o0o0o0o0~**

"What's this?" screeched Madam Pomfrey. Alice cringed at her voice.

"Where did you get this?" she asked Alice, examining the goblet. Alice had not drunk all of it; half of the liquid was still inside and smoking like mad.

"I found it by my bedside," she lied quickly, deciding that perhaps it would be best not to drag her friends into this, "and I thought that you put it there."

"This is valuable stuff, this is," Madam Pomfrey said faintly.

"What?"

"Oh, it's an extremely hard one to brew up, all right," muttered Madam Pomfrey. "This cough potion is well past the NEWT level of potions. Not even I can do it, and I received an 'Outstanding' in my potions NEWT. I'd be surprised to know where this came from though…not even Snape…" she walked away unsteadily.

That afternoon, when her friends visited her again, she laid the blame on them.

"What _was_ this?" she asked them.

"It's cough potion, Alice, didn't we tell you?" asked Rosalie wearily.

"Madam Pomfrey freaked out when she saw it…"

Jasper, at this point, dropped the book he was holding.

"You showed this to_ Madam Pomfrey?_" he asked in horror.

"Why?" asked Alice suspiciously. "Is it illegal?"

"No, of course it isn't illegal, but Madam Pomfrey prides herself on her potions just as well as Snape," said Jasper fervently, "and this one's very, _very_ hard to make, Alice. You're damaging her pride by showing her this, you know …"

Alice glared at him. Emmett hastily changed the subject.

"So, Alice, are you coming down to Hogsmeade this weekend? It's the last one this term…"

"What? Of, um, yeah, of course…how long have I been asleep?"

"Several days. Mind you, when you passed out in Jasper's arms, Professor McGonagall thought you'd died…"

The voice belonged to Angela Weber. She had come to see Alice with a bunch of Ravenclaws.

"Hi, Alice!" waved Leah happily. "How are you doing?"

"Fine, just fine," she mumbled, looking at the crowd of grinning Ravenclaws. Angela noticed where she was looking.

"Oh, sorry, Alice, I forgot to introduce you…I take it that you know Seth and Leah Clearwater," here, Seth and Leah grinned and Alice smiled; the memory of Rita Skeeter's hair was still fresh in her memory, "and this is Sam," she gestured to a seventh year who looked familiar to Jacob Black. "Quil Ateara and Embery Call, Ben Cheney, Emily Young." She mentioned at each person as she spoke. "We're all in the DA, of course, so you should know us."

"Um, are you?"

Angela laughed. "Yes." Then she looked at Seth. "Where is it?"

"Where is what?" asked Seth innocently.

"You know," snapped Leah.

Seth grimaced and brought out a huge get-well-card from his bag.

"From your fans," he laughed when he saw Alice's expression.

"I have _fans?_"

"Of course you do!" Angela giggled. "A lot of them, too!"

"So what's going on at school?" Alice asked as the card began to sing shrilly.

"Dunno…did you stab Madam Pomfrey with a quill or something? She looked ready to faint when she was down there at breakfast today."

"No, I didn't," Alice said, glaring at Jasper, who was suddenly looking away guiltily.

"Ah, well, it isn't everyday that you get to see someone so worked up…"

Then Madam Pomfrey stomped over.

"This girl needs rest, now out, OUT!"

"So what was the prize for winning the dance?" Alice whispered to Rosalie as they all trudged out. Rosalie grinned.

"A week in bed."

**AN**

**I know that this chapter was mostly just crap and human stuff, but I just wanted you all to enjoy Alice's last chapter as a human.**

**Please REVIEW!!!**


	24. Flamin' Snivellus

**Flamin' Snivellus**

Alice sighed as Edward and Emmett snuck over to the teacher's table in potions, both of them clutching gasoline and matches. Snape was busy giving everyone a word-by-word gloating talk of how Alice got past the dragon _and_ won the annual dancing contest. It wasn't the first, though; he had been like that ever since Alice had been a school champion.

Everything was as usual—almost. It wasn't usual for Edward and Emmett to bring gasoline and matches to class—it was muggle stuff—and it was not usual for Jasper to have five pints of leech juice, half an ounce of dragon liver and salamander eyes on his table.

Edward signalled to Emmett. Emmett grinned and dumped the gasoline over Snape's head as Edward struck the match. Jasper, at this point who was sitting near Snape, emptied his onto Snape's robes.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRHHH!!!!!!!!"

Alice held back a giggle as Snape erupted into flames, shrieking like mad. The Gryffindors roared their approval as the Slytherin girls began to scream and Snape ran out of the dungeon, yelling his head off.

**~0o0o0o0o0o0o0~**

Emmett and Edward were constantly up to no good—they were like the Weasley twins themselves. Today, there new target was Snape.

This was going to be very ugly, thought Alice.

**~0o0o0o0o0o0o0~**

It was.

Professor McGonagall slammed the desk. "And so the four of you decided that it would be entertaining to drench a teacher in gasoline and flammable potion?"

Emmett nodded. "Yes, professor."

Professor McGonagall glared at him. "I did not ask you to make fun of me," she growled. She pointed at the other two Gryffindors and Slytherin. "You will all be taken to see a counsellor next week. A _Ministry_ counsellor."

"Who cares what sort of counsellor they get us?" grumbled Alice as they headed to dinner. Emmett grinned.

"No, no one does. But we'll be making sure that the counsellor gets the one hell out of us."

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Edward. "So you want us all to call ourselves 'the Marauders of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft ad Wizardry'? Get real, Emmett."

"I am serious. Come on, it's just a little organization…"

Jasper backed away. "Leave me out of this."

Emmett smiled a rather evil and nasty smile. "Jazz? Oh, no, you're in it already. And you, Alice," he added, seeing Alice's face.

"What, Emmett? Setting fire to a teacher doesn't make us heroes, it makes us criminals!"

"Criminals!" laughed Emmett. "Then we'll be the Hogwarts Criminals!"

"This is a stupid idea, I tell you—" Alice started to say, but she was cut off by Malfoy and his bunch of Slytherins.

"The Hogwarts Criminals? That's a very good name, Brandon." He smirked as a crowd began to form.

"Yeah, that's right," said Edward loudly. "_We're_ the reason you fear Gryffindors, Malfoy."

"Spare me the talk," said Malfoy waving a careless hand. Emmett's hand plunged into his robes, but not for his wand.

"Gasoline!" cried Edward as he struck the match…

And that was how the Hogwarts Criminals formed.

**~0o0o0o0o0o0o0~**

"Right then, do the four of you know why you are here, Mr Masen, McCarthy and Whitlock and Miss Brandon?"

"I—foresee—that you are in grave danger!" said Alice in ringing tones as she imitated Professor Trelawney. She jingled her fake bangles that Emmett had insisted that she wore to the meeting and peered at the toad-looking counsellor through her thick spectacles. "I—foresee—that I know why we are here!" she finished rather dramatically.

Edward snorted with laughter and Jasper rolled his eyes.

"I don't know," said Emmett cheerfully. "Why—hey, wait, wasn't it because we fired a dozen of fireworks into the principal's office?

"Oh, wait, or was it for dropping water balloons on someone's head?" suggested Edward.

No, I think it was the time we blew up the toilet…ha, ha, ha, that was hilarious!"

"That's not funny!" glared the counsellor. Great, thought Alice. The session hasn't even started and the counsellor's already mad. She should be, though. In one short week, the four of them had done exactly all the things above. Emmett was usually the one to lead the Hogwarts Criminals. The poor counsellor—she had no idea what she was in for.

"Yeah, that was hilarious," continued Edward, still chuckling. "And I didn't say that it was funny, Mrs. I said that it was hilarious. And you'd have to admit that it was quite creative…

"Yeah," said Emmett cheerfully. "Okay, I think I know why we're here. I lit—I mean, _we_ lit Snape and Malfoy on fire."

"Snivellus," muttered Jasper under his breath.

"Oh, yeah, nice one, Jazz. We lit _Snivellus_ and Mo-Mo on fire."

"It was an accident!" protested Edward. "If you must know, though, we thought they'd catch alight much quicker, with all the grease and everything.

"Mr Masen, we do not need to go into the details! Now, Professor Snape—"

"_Snivellus,_" muttered Alice.

"—and Mr Malfoy—"

"—Mo-Mo," muttered Edward,

"—are currently in ST Mungo's hospital, and now we must find the cause for your odd behaviour as well as your punishment," she finished tartly.

"What's your name?" asked Emmett suddenly.

"That's not important," sniffed the counsellor, who looked like she had a very good idea of what was going to happen if she let it slip her name.

"Well, we don't trust strangers, you see," said Edward, crossing his arms. "I would feel much more comfortable and safe if I knew who I was talking to."

The counsellor glared at him. "No deal. And please stop scratching your private area, Mr McCarthy."

"No deal," Emmett quoted sourly. Alice tried not to smile.

"Very well, I shall tell you my name if you will stop scratching your private area." The counsellor was not happy.

"Deal." Emmett put both his hands on the table. The counsellor cringed away from them. Emmett wriggled his fingers and laughed.

"Thank you!" she said faintly. "My name is Dolores Umbridge."

Edward sniggered loudly. "Can I call you Do-Do?"

"No," snapped the counsellor, "Counsellor is fine."

"Voo-Doo?" laughed Emmett.

"No! Now, Miss Brandon, let's start with you. Do you have any problems at home? Perhaps being a champion has made you more disobedient than you should be? Or maybe—_Mr McCarthy, stop scratching!_"

Emmett had taken his hands from the table. "Oops. Sorry, Mrs Voo-doo, I'm just bored."

"You scratch your private areas when you're bor—never mind, now, Miss Brandon, what say you?"

"Well, actually—ew, what's that awful smell, Emmett!" yelled Alice.

"Sorry, mate, it was the chocolate," muttered Emmett, farting once more. "You know what it does to me…"

"Well, why eat it? I thought it was a Dungbomb!"

"Rosalie dared me…she said she'd give me a gallon for that…come to think of it, I don't even have a gallon…"

"CAN WE CONTINUE!" yelled Mrs Voo-Doo.

"Sure, but could you open the window?"

Mrs Do-Do opened the window. "Is that better? Now, Miss Brandon—"

"Call me Alice," said Alice.

"I'm Emmett!" boomed Emmett, as always.

"And I'm Edward," said Edward cheerfully. Jasper used the ultimate muggle sign language—which none of them could understand.

"Eh? What's that?" asked Mrs Voo-Doo.

"He's mute," said Edward loudly. It was the custom to do that—Jasper didn't like talking very much, and he preferred to stay silent for the time being until he'd suddenly surprise everyone by talking.

"Mute? But I swear I heard him talking at the beginning of the session—"

"Oh, we know our friend," said Emmett, putting an arm around Jasper's neck, earning him a grimace from Jasper. "Don't we, Jazz?"

"Jasper, do you feel pressure around these boys? Just nod or shake your head."

"Way to go, Jazz! You already have Poor Mrs Voo-Doo feeling sorry for you!" beamed Emmett.

"Actually, I feel sorry for all of you," sniffed Mrs Do-Do.

"You have no idea, Mrs Toad," sighed Emmett, shaking his head.

"Jasper, do we give you pressure?" asked Edward innocently.

"Edward, stop stepping on Jasper's foot!"

Jasper shook his head; however, with the disgusted expression on his face, it was hard to believe him.

"Did you have any pressure when you just did that? Emmett, let go of his arm!"

Jasper shook his head again.

"Are you sure? You looked like you had a lit—"

"Let's drop this," said Edward sharply. "He's shook his head, so no, no, we don't give him any pressure."

"Okay, stuff this nonsense. How is your family, Emmett?"

"Well, we live in the mountains," said Emmett, winking at Alice. "Oh, my mother's brilliant, she killed my father, you know, along with my seven brothers and sisters. She killed them with one stomp of her foot, like this—shall I demonstrate?"

"NO!" shouted Voo-Doo, but Emmett had brought his leg up and stomped on the floor, hard. There were yells and curses from downstairs.

"And again!" cried Emmett.

"NO!"

Boom.

"And again—and again and again and again…"

Boom, boom, boom, boom, _squelch._

"Did you like my sound effects, Mrs Voo-Doo?" shouted Emmett as he stepped on the same slug again and again (it was already dead, anyway, having been enlarged by the previous charms class). Alice bit her tongue, but it was too late, she was already smiling. Edward clutched onto Jasper for support but lost his balance and brought Jasper to the ground where he lay, rolling and laughing his head off. "And—"

"NO MORE!" shouted Mrs Voo-Doo. "Edward, get up this instant! Stop pretending you're dying!"

"BUT I AM DYING!" shouted Edward, clutching his chest. "I am dying and here you are, thinking that I'm pretending! I AM DYING!"

"STOP IT AT ONCE, MR MASEN!"

"Yeah, stop it, Edward," said Emmett.

"Stop it, Edward," chimed Alice.

"Stop it, me!" yelled Edward.

"—and stuffed his head on the wall," continued Emmett. "She even threatened to do the same to me! And Edward visits, really often, but he's always leaving wolf prints on the floor, which makes her angry."

"Wolf prints? Why does he leave wolf prints?"

"He's a werewolf," said Alice before she could stop herself.

Mrs Voo-Doo's eyes went wide. "Really?" she asked, looking closely at Edward.

"Hang on, what did we say? No one said anything about wolves, Mrs Do-Do. Does he look like one to you?" Emmett asked, pulling Edward's face into a terrible frown.

"Well, Emmett, seems like you have a lot on your mind…"

"Yeah, right, and cats and Pigs will fly."

"Actually, Emmett," said Edward, "We tested that out when Jasper suggested us to build a catapult and catapult Alice's Winter and Ron's Pig into the girl's dormitory tied together. They nearly tore each other to bits, mind you…Happy Halloween indeed, you scared the daylights out of them…"

"Pig?"

"Ron Weasley's owl."

"Okay, then, Edward. Family."

"My father's the Minister for Magic and my mother's the Her Majesty the Queen of Sheba," said Edward in an important voice. "My uncle is Voldy-Moldy, auntie's Bathilda Bagshot and my grandpa is Sirius Black—"

"Um…all right, then, Jasper. What about you?"

"…"

"Oh, sorry. Can anyone tell me?"

"No," said Alice flatly.

"Oh, sure we can," said Emmett in a jocular manner. "Jasper was born in July the thirteenth, 4500 B.C when he built Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry with his charming family Salazar Slytherin. Later he went on to—"

"All right…all right, I've heard about your families now. How about you tell me about your strange group?"

"Strange? What's strange?"

"The only thing here that's strange is Mrs Voo-Doo, Edward."

"I meant your little strange group that you call yourselves the Criminals of Hogwarts!"

"We're _not_ the criminal of Hogwarts," said Alice. "We're the Hogwarts Criminals!"

Mrs Toad tore at her hair in frustration. 'Very well, Hogwarts Criminals, what do you do?"

"You're not very bright are you, Mrs Toad? You've just experienced half a percentage of what we do!" said Emmett wistfully. "We go around predicting the deaths of Ministry Counsellors, catapult Pigs and Winter into girl's dormitories, roll around pretending we're dead, stomp on the ground every now and then, eat chocolate and fart and scratch our pri—"

"That's enough, Emmett!"

"Glad you like me, Mrs Toad."

"I am Dolores Umbridge! Why do you insist on calling me Voo-Doo and Do-Do and Toad?"

"Sure, Mrs Yum-Yum. You know, we call our professors stuff like that: Minnie for Professor McGonagall, Snivellus for Snape, and Dumpling-Dore for Dumbledore…"

"Well, Edward," Mrs Voo-Doo was mad now. "I am _not_ Professors McGonagall, Dumbledore or Snape and you are certainly not allowed to call me Voo-Doo or Do-Do!"

"Why would we call Dumpling-Dore Voo-Doo?"

"Yeah, that's pretty stupid. And we don't have her permission, she just has to learn to put up with it," chimed in Alice.

"And pretty soon, you will too!" laughed Edward.

"I will not!" roared Mrs Do-Do. "Why do you always seem to be in trouble?"

"We are not trouble making! Trouble finds us!" shouted Edward.

"IT'S TRUE! IT'S ALL TRUE! WE'RE OUT OF CONTROL I TELL YOU!" yelled Emmett, waving his arms about wildly.

"Mr McCarthy, please sit down and stop pretending to cry on Edward's shoulder!"

"Sure thing, Mrs Yum-Yum!" Emmett came and sat back down.

Mrs Voo-Doo sighed. "Well, I'm afraid that's all we have time for today. I'll see you all next week."

"How come Rosalie and Bella don't need to do these things?" demanded Alice as they began to leave.

"_They_ weren't there when Snape was on fire."

"That sounds so funny in that context, Edward, ha, ha…"

"He, he, fire!"

"Please just leave!" bellowed Mrs Do-Do.

"Sure, Mrs Voo-Doo, way to go!"

"Bye, Do-Do!"

"Miss you, Yum-Yum!"

"You're in grave danger, Mrs Toad!"

"See you next wee—"

"Out!"

Emmett chortled as they bundled out of the room. "Mrs Voo-Doo, Do-Do, Yum-Yum, Toad, Minnie, Dumpling-Dore, Snivellus and Mo-Mo. Honestly, Edward. How did you come up with so much ridiculous names?"

"Oh, how I hate her," said Edward savagely, not answering Emmett's question. All traces of foolishness, childishness and clown that had been demonstrated in the classroom were wiped from his face. "She's the one that fired my parents from the ministry without a trial after word got out about what I was, although she's forgotten about me, that was ages ago. She hates half breeds, including werewolves—"

"—half giants-"

"—centaurs—"

"—vampires—"

"—merpeople—"

"Hang on," interrupted Jasper. "No one's supposed to know what a vampire was, remember? Moody told us that in DADA last week—"

"Yeah, and we never listen in class—"

"—and they aren't supposed to be real," finished Jasper.

"Okay, stuff vampires, Jazz, le's go and blow up another Hogwarts toilet seat…"

"Oh, but—"

"EMMETT!"

Emmett cringed.

"Yeah, Rose?"

"Don't you _dare_ do something stupid like that again!" she threatened, poking him in the chest.

"Yeah!" Bella growled, glaring at Edward. "I would never have thought you'd do that to me, Edward!"

"Why are you so selfish?"

"We thought we were your friends!"

"What? We haven't done anything!" asked Emmett, completely muddled.

"Oh, and you sounded like you had so much fun in there…"

"We could have joined in, you idiots!"

"Yeah, and I had a half mind to add to that collection after Yum-Yum, Toad, Do-Do and Voo-Doo!"

"Hang on," said Alice; frowning as she slowly began to realize what they were talking about. "Are you saying that—"

"Yes!" shouted Bella. "Why aren't we Hogwarts Criminals as well?"

**AN**

**Sorry for the long update. I know that I gave out a fake warning about Alice's humanity, that's going to happen much later, but just so that you'll all be prepared for the worst.**

**This chapter idea was taken from 'A Very Painful Interview Indeed' by Emmi-Chick. If you liked this, then go and check it out.**

**Dedicated to Songs-of-the-Wolf and Mrs. Whitlock-Rathbone for the ideas of Mrs Yum-Yum. If you have any ideas for how to torture Umbridge and Rita Skeeter or have any questions, please visit my forum.**

**And as you can see, this story has been rated M. M!!! M for violence in the later chapters! Read at your own risk!**

**Please REVIEW!!!**


	25. April Fool's

**April Fool's**

They did indeed see Mrs Do-Do the next week.

"Morning, Mrs Toad!" shouted Emmett.

"Hi, Mrs Voo-Doo!"

"I foresee that you are in grave danger, Mrs Yum-Yum!"

However, with Rosalie and Bella, things were different.

"How do you do, Mrs Unfortunate-Who-Doesn't-Know-Anything?" asked Bella cheerfully.

"Aw. Mrs Dorothy, it's so nice to meet you at last!" beamed Rosalie.

Mrs Dorothy glared at them. "Stop calling me those ridiculous names! Now, do you all know why you are here?"

"Yes, Mrs Yum-Yum, I'm here to tell you that you are in grave dan—" Alice started.

"That's enough, Alice. Now—"

"Did you miss us?" Bella asked.

"No, but—"

"How can she miss you, Bella, she hasn't even seen you before!" exclaimed Edward.

"Oh, sorry—"

"CAN WE CONTINUE!" yelled Emmett, stomping on the ground.

"Yes, of course, Emmett. Now, someone has a complaint. However, he would like to remain anonymous, so he has a black bag over his face. Yes, you may come in…"

A person with a black bag came into the room and sat down. The six of them burst into laughter.

"Please take a seat," said Mrs Yum-Yum loudly.

"Thank you, ma'am."

"Hang on…" Emmett scratched his head in a gibbon style. "I know that voice…"

Mrs Do-Do glared. "No, you don't! Now, Mr Anonymous, what have you got to complain? Tell them how you feel…"

"Well, that other day when you guys—"

"Lit you on fire?" asked Edward innocently.

"Levitated you to the ceiling in the great hall by your underwear?" smirked Emmett.

"Charmed the words 'Future Mrs. Snape' to float above your head and follow you around all day and disappear when you looked up?" laughed Rosalie.

"Well, I—" the boy started to say.

"And told the Merpeople, with the help of Jazz's translator book that you were threatening to wash your greasy underwear in the lake..." Bella teased.

"Ooh that wasn't pretty..." Jasper said with relish. Mrs Do-Do, however, was too angry to notice him talking.

"Those Merpeople can get pretty rough… especially when they told the Giant Squid of your 'intentions' and it waited for you to sit under the beech tree and—" Emmett started to say.

"Yes, thank you!" the boy snapped.

"Ooh and we charmed your Cheeri-owls cereal to attack you when you tried to eat them..."

"And we sent that love letter to Millicent Bulstrode addressed from you!"

"And we charmed your scarf to strangle you..."

"And we charmed an army of snowmen to attack you in your sleep..."

"Ooh, and we—" Edward started but was cut off.

"That's enough thank you!" shouted the counsellor.

"Yes, completely uncalled for..." agreed the boy, who was no other than—

"Hello Meow-foy!" called out Edward.

"Long time, no see..." Emmett sighed sadly.

"Oh man! No, keep the black bag on! Oh, no!" Rosalie moaned. Malfoy ripped the bag off and glared at them.

"Ed, you shouldn't tell him about the thing we put under his bed the other night—" Jasper started to say.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Jazz!" smirked Edward.

"Ouch!" Jasper winced. "That was my foot, Ed!"

"What foot?" asked Alice innocently.

"Yes, what foot?" chimed in Bella.

"Moving on..." Mrs Yum-Yum said loudly. "Well I suppose they know who you are now, but how did you feel when they did all these 'pranks' on you Mr Malfoy?"

"Well," Malfoy started to say.

"Ooh, I know!" shouted Edward. "I bet he felt—"

"HOT!" yelled Emmett.

"Ha, ha!" Bella fake-laughed.

"He, he!" Rosalie laughed.

"Bwa-ha-ha-ha!" Edward yelled.

"Mwa-ha-ha-ha!" Emmett copied him.

"Enough!" stormed Mrs Unfortunate-Who-Doesn't-Know-Anything. "This is about Mr Malfoy's feelings!"

"Feelings?" Alice frowned. "What feelings?"

"That kid's a freak of nature, he does not have feelings!" giggled Rosalie.

"Agreed!" bellowed Bella and Edward.

"ENOUGH!" shouted Mrs Dorothy.

"My deepest apologies, Yum-Yum!"

"Sorry, Mrs Do-Do!"

Umbridge looked down at them, breathing heavily. She had obviously never met anyone or anything half as irritating. "Now, please, Mr Malfoy…"

"Well," hissed Malfoy, "When you did that, it really hurt and I had to go to the hospital wing—"

The six of them collapsed, laughing.

"Merlin's saggy left buttock, I'm going to puke from all this laughing!" shouted Emmett, pretending to puke onto Mrs Yum-Yum's shoes.

"THAT'S ENOUGH! EDWARD AND EMMETT, GET UP FROM THE GROUND AND SIT DOWN! NOW!"

"PUT THE BLACK BAG BACK ON!" yelled Emmett as they all struggled to get it back on Malfoy's face. "OH, I CAN'T BEAR IT!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

"EMMETT, STOP IT AT ONCE!"

"WHAT A SLIMEBALL!" screeched Bella. "OOH, YUCK! YOU STINK MORE THAN—"

"A YETI!" Rosalie shouted.

"WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A SMART MALFOY AND A BIGFOOT!" called Edward.

"THE BIGFOOT HAS BEEN SIGHTED!" answered Alice, equally loud.

"GET OUT! ALL OF YOU GET OUT NOW! OUT, OUT, OUT!" screamed Mrs Voo-Doo.

The seven of them stopped. "No more counselling?" asked Alice hopefully.

"I WILL SEE YOU ALL NEXT TERM! HAPPY HOLIDAYS!"

"Aw…" moaned Bella.

"Aw…" moaned Rosalie.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" moaned Edward, Emmett and Meow-Foy together.

"What?" said Alice. "More counselling? Aw…"

"Shut up!" the counsellor's face was purple.

"Don't torture yourself, Mrs Voo-Doo, you know that you don't like these session any more than we do…"

"OUT!"

"I have a high regard for Mrs Voo-Doo's screaming ability!" Edward gave out as a parting remark. "I will remind myself to compliment her on herlung capacity at a later date!"

**AN**

**Go to my profile and learn how to view a few previews and extras of Only Slytherin**

**Please REVIEW!!!**


	26. My Friend the Giant Squid

**My Friend the Giant Squid**

The giant squid floated aimlessly in the river as Alice tossed bits of toast down to it. Beside her, Bella was trying to catch up on her potions and Rosalie was busy with her nails.

"Have you got _any_ idea at all how to get through that disastrous lake?" Alice asked, referring to the second task. It was Valentine's Day (yet again), but the boys were busy with Edward's 'illness' so they couldn't come out. Just exactly what they were doing, none of them knew.

"I don't know," mumbled Bella, trying to write up an essay on Moonstones. "I suppose you're going to have to swim…"

Alice looked pleadingly at Rosalie. "Rose?"

Rosalie looked up from the flashing nail polish she was applying. "What? Oh, um, the task, of course! I don't know."

"Did Jasper say anything about it during the holidays?" asked Alice.

"You know that I don't and have never spent my holidays with them," said Rosalie in a disapproving way. "No, he did not mention it even once."

"Oh!" Bella said suddenly. "Alice, it's your birthday, isn't it? Edward wanted to give you a present but he couldn't come in person so he asked me to give it to you…" she rummaged around in her bag and pulled out…something that looked like a human sized banana peel, only it was a black banana. Rosalie and Alice took one look at it and burst out laughing.

"What _is_ that thing?" asked Rosalie after they had gotten over their laughing fit.

"He said that it was a muggle _wetsuit,_" explained Bella.

"Wetsuit? Why would they want to give me a _muggle wetsuit?_" said Alice as she examined the thing. It was rubbery and she fell over laughing again when she pulled it on rather clumsily. It was far too big for her and fit, even with her robes and scarf.

"Well, he said that since you were going to swim, you might as well be warm," said Bella, trying not to laugh as well.

"Speaking of which," said Rosalie suddenly, "_both_ Emmett and Jasper wanted me to give you something." She fished out something that looked like Harry Potter's glasses and a huge book.

"So…what are these, then. More wetsuits?"

"No, silly," laughed Rosalie. "They're called _goggles._ They'll let you see more clearly underwater. Emmett said that he was going to give you an um, _goldfish_ bowl, except he couldn't find one that wasn't too flowery and big at the same time."

Alice knew what a _goldfish bowl_ was, and the sight of her wearing one over her head and attending the second task in that sent her in another fit of laughter.

"Okay, let me see the book," she gasped after a few minutes. Rosalie and Bella had joined and Rosalie had trouble standing up as she handed over Jasper's book.

"Huh?" said Alice. "Has Jasper got a fever? What's this, _How to Talk and Make Friends with Giant Squids?_ Seriously," she said, looking at the Giant Squid still munching up the last of the toast. "Who would ever want talk _or_ make friends with one?"

"Dunno," shrugged Rosalie. "Both of them said that it would come as rather useful."

Alice flipped open the first page and read: _Step one: Be Nice to it._

"Well, ha, ha," said Bella sarcastically as she read through it. "This is really, really stupid. Honestly, _be nice to it. _Alice, I'd actually advise you to run before it eats you up!"

"Well, it's worth a try," said Alice, going over to the lake. Several Hufflepuff girls began to scream as Alice went over to it and pulled a horrific grimace and moaned in her deepest voice (which the book had deciphered as 'being friendly'). To her great surprise, the squid opened its mouth and howled back at her, making her jump back in fright.

"Don't!" Bella instructed. "No sudden movements!" she was still poring over the book, now thoroughly interested. "Let's see…now, shake tentacles with it!"

"What?" asked Alice in horror as the Giant Squid began to climb out of the lake and onto the bank. "What, I don't have any!"

"Use your hair and Wingardium Leviosa!" screamed Rosalie.

"Quiet!" snapped Bella. "No loud noises!"

"Wingardium Leviosa!" said Alice, pointing her wand at her hair and feeling desperately foolish as several Ravenclaws began to howl with laughter. Her hair rose into the air and wrapped itself around the tentacle of the squid which was now climbing up further onto the bank.

"Remove the spell now!" said Bella. Alice removed the spell, but the squid kept a tight hold onto her hair.

"Well, that's it," breathed Bella. "If the squid keeps on holding on, it means that it likes you, Alice. Let's go."

"Um, Bella," said Alice. "Does the book say exactly _how_ to remove the spell?"

Bella whirled around. "What?"

"Well, it won't let go."

"Oh, no!" said Bella, flipping around for the solution. "Oh, dear, it doesn't say anything about it!"

"Check the place where it teaches us how to talk to them!" pleaded Alice as she backed away from the Squid.

"I don't know!" exclaimed Bella, beginning to panic. "Um, make gurgling noises at it !"

"Blub, blub, blub?" asked Alice, but the Squid wouldn't let go. "That's not the correct way, Bella!"

"Alice, watch out!" shouted Rosalie. Alice looked down and found that the squid wasn't happy with only one side of her hair; its other feelers were creeping out and had wrapped themselves around her legs.

"Oh, no," Alice moaned, trying to move away. The squid was now entirely on the grounds now and everyone was now screaming, including Bella.

"Bella, go and find Jasper!" shouted Rosalie, shaking Bella's shoulders roughly. "_He_ got the book, and if he can't do anything, I will kill him with my bare hands!"

Alice saw Bella running off towards the castle and sincerely hoped that Jasper would arrive in time. _Oh, please,_ she prayed silently as the squid continued to slither up the bank.

"What's going on?" came a voice. Alice looked up to see Professors McGonagall and Snape rushing towards them. "Miss Brandon, what are you doing?"

"It won't let go," wailed Alice. Snape snatched the book away from Rosalie and filed through it.

"It seems as though Miss Brandon thinks that it is wise to make friends with the Giant Squid," he sneered,

"Severus, this is _not_ funny. Alice, who gave this book to you?"

Alice didn't register the use of her first name. "Um, it was a birthday present from Jasper!" she said wildly.

Snape rolled his eyes. "Silly children should not play with things they do not understand," he said.

"Severus, that is out of the question!"

Alice looked up and saw Bella rushing back with Jasper, who had a look of utter horror on his face. "Alice!" he panted when he reached them. "Alice, I—"

"Just get me out of here!" Alice wailed.

"Where's the book?"

Snape handed the book to Jasper, who flipped through it wildly. "Stop pulling on your hair!" he instructed Alice. "Don't pull, that's the sign that you want it to come closer in the squid language!"

"Oh, great." Rosalie rolled her eyes.

"Now, bend down to it _very slowly,_" instructed Jasper. "That's right…now, kiss the squid."

"What?" asked Alice.

"Kiss the squid!"

"Where?" asked Alice, looking at the squid's mouth.

"On the mouth!" said Jasper. "No, no, I'm only joking…kiss it anywhere you like!"

"Oh, great," Alice moaned as she bent forward to kiss the squid's tentacle. The squid blinked a few times, then let go of her and slid back into the river.

There was a moment's of silence as the squid disappeared into the water. Then Professor McGonagall was there, her eyes flashing furiously.

"What sort of book did you give her?" she barked at Jasper. "That was highly dangerous, what were you thinking? Detention!"

Snape didn't seem interested as he swooped back into the castle with Professor McGonagall. Alice looked at her friends balefully, then sighed.

"At least I wasn't about to be squid food," she sighed, squeezing water out of her hair and robes. Jasper grinned apologetically.

"I didn't give that book to you for no reason, Alice."

Alice frowned. "Wasn't it just a little prank?"

"Of course not. The Giant Squid is now your friend. It will…help you when you go into the lake."

Alice's eyes lit up. "Oh! The second task! That's why you wanted me to read it…so that I could get to the finish faster!"

Jasper nodded. "That's right."

Then suddenly, Emmett's voice reached them as he came across the grounds, holding something that looked like a –

"Fishbowl!" Emmett grinned. "A fishbowl, Alice! A fishbowl the right size for you! It is stretchable as well! You can wear this to the second task!"

**AN:**

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	27. Close Called Death

**Close-Called Death**

"Emmett, don't you _dare_ make me wear this retarded fishbowl…"

Emmett grinned and put the fishbowl beside Rosalie, earning a dirty look from her. "Well, it's your loss. Oh, and Jasper wanted me to give you this…"

Alice frowned as Emmett handed over a small bottle full of golden liquid. "What's this?" she asked suspiciously. "Another squid-friend maker?"

Bella giggled. "I don't know. He did say that it might make you lucky if you drink it…who knows?"

Alice turned the bottle over and read: _Felix Felicis._

"Felix Felicis?" asked Edward, peering over her shoulder. "Isn't that—"

"Lucky potion!" said Bella excitedly. "Alice, he gave you lucky potion?"

"What's so special about it?" asked Alice, opening it and giving it a sniff. It smelt like Butterbeer, only milder.

"What's so special about it?" asked Edward incredulously. "It's like, the secret to all success! One spoonful of it a day and you get to be lucky!"

"I don't know about you, but it smells like Butterbeer to me," said Rosalie, taking a whiff.

"Maybe. But it's—"

"Okay, we know what it is," Alice cut Bella off. "The thing is, I don't think that this is going to be allowed in the games."

"No one said anything about that, Alice," said Emmett. "I mean, it wasn't in the rules…are you going to try that or what?"

Alice played the bottle in her hands. "Um…maybe." She uncorked the bottle again and gulped it down. Not only did it smell like Butterbeer, it even tasted like one. Everyone looked at her.

"What?" she asked. Rosalie dumped her potions book onto the seat beside her and yawned loudly.

"I'm tired so tired, I could drop off right here and then. Will you carry me upstairs, Emmett?"

"Wish I could," said Emmett. "But boys aren't allowed…"

Edward rubbed his eyes. "Well, we'll see how lucky you are when—" he started to say, but was cut off when Alice gave a great yell, having slipped accidentally on the stairs. Everyone watched in horror as she toppled down from the top and was headed towards the statue of Godric Gryffindor holding a great sword.

It would have been the last of Hogwarts' fifth champion if Winter, Alice's cat didn't rush into the room, chasing someone's rat and knocked the statue over. Where the sword would have impaled Alice was now empty air and she fell into a crumpled heap in front of her friends.

There was a moment's silence before Bella spoke.

"Well it seems as though this _is_ lucky potion, after all."

Emmett gaped at her, his mouth open. "I can't believe it!" he said in a hoarse voice. "You were about to be _killed_, Alice! And the cat saved you!"

Alice picked herself up shakily and her guts twisted nervously as she thought of what would happen if it didn't work the next day.

**~0o0o0o0o0o0o0~**

Alice rounded the corner, panting. It was five minutes before the second task and she was still in her sleeping gown. Although she was going at three times her normal speed, she didn't even trip—probably a sign that the lucky potion was still working. Ignoring the stitch in her side, she set her teeth and ran to the Black Lake, where everyone was waiting.

"Thank _goodness_ you're here, Alice," said Emmett, frowning as she caught up with them. "What took you so long? The judges were about to disqualify you."

"_He_ isn't any faster," Alice remarked, pointing at Harry Potter, who had just arrived. Rosalie rolled her eyes and looked skeptically at her gown. "Are you seriously going to swim in this?" she asked, pointing. Alice pouted and glared at her.

"I wonder where Jasper is," said Bella. "He's normally on time and he's still not here…"

Alice grimaced as she pulled on Edward's rubbery suit on. "Who knows? I haven't seen him since last night."

"Me neither," remarked Emmett. "I haven't seen him after he gave me the lucky potion…"

"Shush," hissed Rosalie. "You know Jasper, he has a knack for doing dangerous things, and I don't think that lucky stuff was allowed. If everyone had it, wouldn't life be so much simple?"

Edward laughed. "You bet. Maybe he'll turn up later. Is there anything you've lost, Alice?"

Alice shook her head. "I can't imagine what we have to get. But I just hope that the Giant Squid is still my friend."

Emmett clapped her on the back. "Well. Good luck!" he boomed, making everyone whirl around to stare at them. Rosalie grinned nervously at the word 'luck,' but also wished Alice luck. Edward checked her suit one last time to see that it wasn't leaking at Bella gave her an enormous hug.

"Champions!" shouted Bagman. "We are now gathered to see our champions—"

Bagman had barely finished when the cannon went off, marking the start of the task. Every other champion dived into the water (Harry with less grace) but Alice alone stood in the shallow parts. She felt like a fool as she stood there, waiting for the Giant Squid. Three nights before, Jasper had taken her down to the Black Lake and practiced with the Squid one last time and told it when to come and meet her. It seemed as though the Squid had forgot.

"Bloopy bluey galoop!" Alice shouted to the Lake when 5 minutes had passed without anything happening. The Slytheirns began to laugh nastily, jeering at her along with the Hufflepuffs and Durmstrang students. Alice tried to calm her thoughts and try again.

"Bah-hoopy see- boo!" she roared at the lake again. "Niggle-niggle walloo!"

"She's mad!" someone shouted. Alice turned to see Bagman coming down to her. "She's delirious, someone—get her out of there…"

But Alice saw Dumbledore's firm expression and gained more confidence that at least someone could understand what she was saying. But as Bagman reached her along with Karkaroff and Madame Maxime, the water around her began to bubble. A few people gasped out loud as a whirlpool appeared and the Giant Squid rose out of the water. Several girls screamed as Alice preformed the Wingardium Leviosa and shook tentacles with the Squid.

"What's she doing?" screeched Bagman as Alice kissed the Squid lightly on the tentacle. "What's she—oh!" for Alice had climbed onto the squid's back, preformed the Bubblehead charm that jasper had taught her and the squid dived out of sight, leaving the surface of the lake peaceful once more.

**~0o0o0o0o0o0o0~**

As the Squid zoomed through the water at frightening speed, Alice looked around for anything that could lead her to her goal. So far, there was only grass, weeds and other plants and little horrors that made her skin crawl, but nothing else. She strained her ears for any source of sound, but found none. Five minutes underwater with nothing to see was starting to make Alice a little frightened when she heard the song…

_An hour you'll have to look_

_And to recover what we took…_

Alice shivered and followed the source of the sound, guiding the squid gently through the waters. Before long, she saw a stone statue of a merperson with several figure tied to it. The merepeople scattered at the sight of the Giant Squid and Alice was free to go forward, but what she saw astonished her more than the Felix Felicis.

The five unconscious figures tied to the statue were Ron Weasley, Fleur's sister (Alice assumed—they looked alike), Hermione Granger and Cho Chang. Alice had a strong desire to slap Ron (how would he ever know?) but her heart jolted at the fifth.

It was Jasper.

Alice tried to calm the bubble of hysteria that was threatening to explode as she swam clumsily over to Jasper. Like the others, he looked asleep and gave no response when she shook his shoulder madly. "Jasper!" Alice screamed, but the bubblehead charm made it useless. Alice's fears were proved not to be naught when she looked for a pulse and found none.

The squid blinked at Alice as she found a sharp rock and cut through Jasper's rope and pulled him onto its back. "Hoe-lay!" she said desperately and the Squid began to zoom towards the finish. As their heads broke out of the water, Alice thought of all the lessons that she had learned about saving drowning people, but found that it they were useless against people who had already _died._ When they got back to the shore, Alice slipped off the Squid and pulled Jasper's limp form back onto land.

"Miss Brandon!" McGonagall's voice reached Alice and she could suddenly hear everything as Professor McGonagall removed the bubblehead charm. "Miss Brandon—it's all right, you're first!"

Alice clung onto Jasper and using all the strength that she had left, pressed down hard on his chest. The other professors seemed to realize that something was wrong and began to call for help and several others crowded around to help, pushing Alice away from Jasper. Alice was about to protest before a towel was wrapped tightly around her.

"Alice!" Edward's voice reached her ears and she looked up to see her friends. "Alice, what's wrong with Jasper?"

"He's dead!" Emmett fake-sobbed loudly. Alice was about to tell him off but coughing noise reached her ears. "Jasper!" she screamed, pushing past the others quickly. Jasper's eyes were finally open and he was coughing up water all over the place (not that it made much difference, everyone was already wet). When he saw Alice, he choked a few more times as Alice threw her arms around him.

"Jasper!" she wept into his shoulder, crying of fear and relief. "I was—"

Jasper coughed a few more times before speaking. "I saw Salazar Slytherin."

**AN**

**Well, I thought that it shouldn't always be Beast saving Beauty, so this time, due to your wishes…it's Beauty saving the Beast. And I thought I promised you all a very long update—it was a promise that I intended to keep, but somehow the New Moon trailer got me writing again.**

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	28. Kill Him

**Kill Him**

For the next week or so, everyone was busy talking about how Alice commanded the Giant Squid to give her a ride to the goal. In many eyes, she was a pure hero and even several Slytherins had to admit that the trick was pretty cool. Alice tried to ignore all this, but it was hard to.

"I just don't know why they make such a big fuss about this," Alice groaned after three days of listening to the Ravenclaws whoop about her success. She was visiting Jasper in the hospital wing, who was recovering from the lung infection that had set in since the second task and complained as she dumped Jasper's books onto his bedside table. Jasper grinned.

"You should be grateful that you're alive," he teased her. "_And_ you made it back first place. Congratulate yourself and just listen to them and marvel that you are still alive and breathing."

Alice pulled a face. "Well, it's going to be better if they didn't make such a big fuss about it. I'm still worrying about the third task, though."

"What is it?" asked Jasper as he flipped open his potions notes. "I hope it's got nothing to do with reptiles—that underwater adventure and dragon crisis has landed me in here two times."

"Speaking of that, what happened down there?" asked Alice, frowning. "I mean, the others were all right—you were the only one that nearly drowned. Why is that?"

Jasper shrugged. "I don't know. If I did, I'd tell you."

"And the Lucky Potion—"

At the mention of lucky potion, Jasper looked up sharply. "Did you drink it?"

"Yeah. Was I supposed to?"

"_All_ of it?"

"What's the big deal?"

"It wasn't lucky potion," sighed Jasper, leaning back. "It was a hundred percent butterbeer. I just stuck a label onto it so that you'd think yourself lucky. It's got nothing to do with it."

Alice frowned. "But the cat! And all the lucky things that happened to me—"

"—were products of your own mind," Jasper stated. Alice smiled.

"You really had us going back there. I thought that it really was lucky potion."

"It's not allowed in the Triwizard tournament," said Jasper. "Felix Felicis is not allowed in any sort of games or contests. I couldn't disqualify you."

"Do you honestly think I'll win?" whispered Alice, leaning forward. She just thought of the goal—now that she was in lead, she was afraid for what that waited for her at the very end.

Jasper followed her worried look. "I'm not entirely sure, Alice. What is your next task?"

Alice remembered the signs that Emmett and Edward stole from the Slytherin common room board. "Um, the maze," she said quickly. "We have to get to the very middle of it. The first person who touches it wins the entire tournament. There will be obstacles, of course…"

Jasper sighed. "Well, maybe we'll just have to see what you're capable of…"

**~0o0o0o0o0o0o0~**

"_So,_" concluded Ludo Bagman. "_This_ is what you will be facing in the third task. Any questions?"

Alice squinted one last time at the Quidditch field that was soon to be the new maze. Beside her, Cedric and Harry both looked like Voldemort had suddenly come and destroyed their broomsticks—the look of uttermost horror that registered on their faces was almost comical.

"No? Well, then, let's head back to the castle. Harry, m' dear…could I have a word?"

Alice trudged back up to the castle silently with the others, leaving Harry alone with Bagman (for some reason, Krum stayed behind, too). However, just as she was about to reach the doors, Winter ran up to her, meowing like crazy.

"What's wrong, Winter?" asked Alice, picking up the frightened cat. Winter, however, gave Alice a long scratch along her arm and leapt away.

"Ow!" Alice looked down at her arm, which was bleeding freely. Winter certainly had sharp claws, she thought irritably. Well, I'm going to give that cat a walloping…Alice ran after Winter, who raced across the castle lawns, still yowling her head off.

"Winter! Shush, or you'll wake everyone up!"

Winter paid no attention to her as she ran into the Forbidden Forest. Alice gulped, and followed, wondering why Winter was acting in such a weird way.

"Drat that cat…" Alice muttered as she clambered over a fallen log. However, as she turned a corner, she heard arguing noises. Curious to see if it was Harry and Krum or Bagman, she crept in closer for a look.

In the clearing, there were two people there, arguing with each other. They had their backs to her and there was no light, so Alice couldn't see their faces and only made out their backs. They were speaking in low, harsh voices, but Alice crept in to hear them as close as she possibly dared, holding her breath.

"It is time," one of them was saying. "He's coming to Hogwarts—he broke the curse."

"Still, there is no need to—"

The first person cursed, the ugly word slipping through his or her lips like filth. "You are old enough for that sort of stuff! You _killed_ your own…friend! And perhaps _this_ will remind you of it!"

Whatever it was, it seemed to scare the second. Then—

"He was in the way! And he was never a _friend!_ And that was ages ago—I don't know how you got it, but—"

"Still, that counts as murder," said the first, breathing heavily. "You've done it once, why not again?"

"That is _not_ in the priorities!"

"It is now, because if you don't, He will fail!"

Alice leaned closer. What were they talking about?

"…and the time is near. You'd best start behaving yourself, or—"

"Or what?" jeered the second person. "Or feed me to Nagni? I am _so_ scared. Like she would listen to what you say!"

"No, but I will tell—"

"Yes? Who will you tell, huh? You've failed Him and you want to send that piece of information to him?"

There was silence for a bit. Then the first spoke again.

"It's your destiny. Think of it—all that you have done. It won't make you a better person by just sparing Crouch."

"Maybe, but it will make me a worse one!"

"No, it won't. It will just make you who you are."

There was more silence. Finally, the second person spoke.

"Very well." And then, a strange thing happened. For as he spoke, another hissing noise followed. Alice heard the start of the hiss, but it quickly transformed into audible words.

_Kill him._

**~0o0o0o0o0o0o0~**

Alice ran back to the castle, screaming. It was said later that whoever heard the scream would freeze into stone, it was so high pitched and bone chilling. As she ran, Dumbledore, Mad-Eye-Moody and Harry Potter came hurrying out to her, having just returned from the grounds.

"Someone's going to be killed!" Alice bawled at the both of them. Dumbledore stopped in his tracks and his gaze flickered to Harry.

"What do you mean?" he asked her, his blue eyes penetrating her.

"Someone's in the forest…they've already done horrible stuff and killed their own friends…now they're going after Crouch!"

Dumbledore's face turned white. "Come with me!" he commanded Alice. "Show me where…"

Alice willed her tired legs to run as fast as she could as she led Dumbledore to the clearing. However, when she got there, there was nobody.

Dumbledore shone his wand around. "What's this?" he mused out loud as he picked up something from the ground. Alice peered over his shoulder. It was a snake skin.

"Maybe it's just a snake in the forest?" suggested Harry. Dumbledore shook his head.

"No. If you look carefully, this is only the head."

Alice looked closely and found that Dumbledore was right. The huge snake skin only consisted of a snake's head. How long the body, no one could imagine.

"Does this seem familiar to you, Alice?' asked Dumbledore. Alice thought back to the conversation.

"I'm not sure…there was something one of them had that scared the daylights out of the other—he said that it was ages ago and he didn't know how the first person got it in the first place. Wouldn't they take it away in the case?"

Dumbledore nodded. "They would have," he agreed. "But never mind. I'll take this back to see…" he looked around, checking to see if there was anything that they missed. When there was nothing, he commanded Alice and Harry to go back to the castle.

"What was that about?" asked Alice and Harry at the same time as soon as they were alone. Alice laughed.

"I don't know…apparently, someone stunned Krum. You?"

Alice shrugged. "I don't know, neither. All I knew was that someone was going to kill Crouch."

"Why would they want to kill Crouch?"

"Well," said Alice. "Actually, well, if anyone saw that Grouch, they would probably want to kill him anyway…"

**AN**

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	29. Befriend Me, Hogwarts Criminals

**B****efriend Me, Hogwarts Criminals **

"So, you have no idea who they were?" asked Emmett for the thousandth time. Alice shook her head.

"How many times do I have to tell you? It was dark, there was no light and I was tired."

"But—" Edward started to say, but was cut off by Rosalie.

"Guys, please. Alice needs to practice for her third task. We can't let her worry about stuff like that for the moment."

Alice sighed and got back onto her feet. It was a hot day and they were in the Gryffindor Common room, practicing the spells that Alice would probably need for the third task. Alice brushed her sweaty hair out of her eyes and turned to the others. "You know what, guys?"

"What?"

Alice stared out of the window. "I really, really miss Mrs. Toad."

"Fat chance. And what are we supposed to do?" grumbled Emmett. Edward clocked him over the head.

"You're an imbecile, Emmett. What else are the Hogwarts Criminals for?"

**~0o0o0o0o0o0o0~**

"No way."

"But jasper," whined Alice. "That is the only way we can get Mrs. Toad back to Hogwarts!"

Jasper shook his head. "Setting Meow-Foy and Snape on fire is one thing, Alice, but the _entire school?_ You are out of your mind. Besides," he said, a steely glint in his eye. "That idea isn't very original."

"Do you have better ideas then?" Alice challenged him. Judging by the look creeping up jasper's face, he did.

"Let's tell the Giant Squid to eat Meow-Foy!"

**~0o0o0o0o0o0o0~**

Mrs. Toad slammed the table at the six grinning students in front of her. It never occurred to her just why she was the one counselling them every time they got into trouble. "What on _earth_ were you thinking?" she bellowed at them. "First, you bewitched Mr. Malfoy's broom, made it hang him on the Quidditch goals and drop him into the Lake! And you, Ms. Brandon, told the monster to eat him!"

"He's _not_ a monster," protested Alice. "He's just a poor, cuddly and lonely squid who needs a chew toy!"

"BUT I AM NOT A CHEW TOY!" Malfoy bellowed, his face in bandages and his arms in slings. Edward sniggered.

"Aw, don't you think Dear Draco looks cute when he gets angry?"

"I DO NOT LOOK CUTE WHEN—"

"Now, Draco, that is quite enough," simpered Mrs. Toad before turning back to the Hogwarts Criminals and glaring at them. Edward had picked up a song and was humming it loudly, earning him a furious look from Mrs. Do-Do.

"I am personally amused that the six of you—"

"Why are your earrings red, Mrs. Toad?" required Rosalie politely.

"That is out of the question!"

"ANSWER HER!" Emmett bellowed. "ANSWER HER OR A PILE OF SMOKING ASH WILL REPLACE YOUR PATHETIC PHYSICAL ATTATCHMENT TO THAT CHAIR!"

"Emmett!" said Alice, sounding as though thoroughly shocked but actually screaming with laughter inside. Edward laughed.

Mrs. Toad glowered at Emmett. "Language, young man!"

"English!" grinned Emmett. Mrs. Toad glared at him again before turning to complain about Edward's song.

"Mrs. Masen, stop humming that song!"

"Yeah, Masen, those lines are sung by a woman," chimed in Bella cuttingly. This only made Edward sing louder and Meow-Foy covered his ears.

"Ah, will you ever understand the beautiful art of music…you have not discovered the real happiness in life!"

Rosalie rolled her eyes. Alice could see Mrs. Toad practically seething under all that makeup. Jasper picked at his fingernails absentmindedly as Bella and Edward began to argue (fakely, of course) over the influence of music.

"Alas, the beauty of music is everywhere! The birds sing to me from outside the window…"

"The only birds that will be singing are the dicks who—"

Emmett gave a pained look.

"ENOUGH!" shouted Mrs. Toad after three minutes of non-stop bickering. "If you do not shut up right now, I shall call for your head of house!"

"Oh, do you mean Minnie, Mrs. Yum-Yum?" asked Alice innocently, widening her eyes;

"She's our favourite teacher, she won't ever do anything to us!"

"You lie!" spluttered Mrs. Toad.

"Of course I don't." Alice winked at Emmett. "Do I, Emmett?"

Before Emmett could answer, however, Bella cut in. "Excuse me, but do you know what year it was when Bumble-Bee-Buffin Blew Boffin-Balrog's Books Back Between Bloody Bees?"

Rosalie sniggered. "Or when it was that The Tumbling Tubby Tipped Treacle Tart Together to Toerag Toad's—"

"We are not here to create silly riddles! Today, we are trying to manage our anger!" shouted Mrs. Toad.

"Sure, Mrs. Toad. I'm _so_ excited." Emmett yawned widely. "You seem to be managing yours _very_ nicely!"

Mrs. Toad expressed the phrase 'As though looks could kill.' Emmett, however, was too busy—

"Mr. Masen, from the start of our sessions, I have been telling you _not to scratch your private parts when you are bored!_"

"Oh," Bella sighed dreamily, as though in a stupor. "Do I hear the birds singing as Emmett scratches?"

Edward laughed and hee-hawed like a donkey on the ground as steam came pouring from Mrs. Toad's ears.

"Did you know," said Jasper cutting into the chaos, "that a common toad lives for about ten to twelve years?"

"Yeah, but they live up to forty in captivity!" laughed Edward.

"I haven't finished!" Jasper pretended to glare at Edward. "Fired-bellied toads shed their skin. They rip it off with their mouth and eat it as it sheds."

All three girls wrinkled up their noses at Mrs. Toad's yellow outfit.

"EEEEEEEEEEWWW!" choked Rosalie, cringing away from Mrs. Toad as far as possibly. "That is just DISGUSTING!!!"

Bella bent over and vomited, courtesy to Fred and George Weasley's vomit skiving snackbox (they had given it to Bella for a test). Meow-Foy got a face of the stuff.

"You six own me three Saturdays so far!" seethed Meow-Foy, wiping vomit from his eye. Edward began to sing:

"_As I sat under the apple tree,_

_A__ birdie sent his love to me,_

_A__nd as I wiped it from my eye,_

_I__ said 'thank goodness cows can't fly!'"_

"Exactly my point!" Mrs. Toad said in frustration, trying to ignore the Hogwarts Criminal's howls of laughter. "Now. Miss Brandon, may I ask you how you control your temper?"

Alice screwed her eyes up to imitate Pansy Parkinson thinking. Malfoy looked livid as Alice said brightly: "Well, I look at Meow-Foy and I think: 'Well, if God made a perfect world, there was just one thing that's making it imperfect and it's right in front of me.' That's how I get by—you should try it, Mrs. Toad!"

Mrs. Toad grumbled her way into silence, partly because the person right in front of Alice was Do-Do herself. "Very well. What about you others?"

"I'm an animagus!" shouted Emmett. "GOT THAT, GUYS? I'M AN ANIMAGUS! SO I TURN INTO A GRIZZLY BEAR, GO TO THE SLYTHERIN DORMITORY, FLIP MALFOY INTO THE AIR LIKE A PANCAKE AND—"

"Let's not go into the finer details," interrupted Mrs. Toad. "Yes, so you are an animagi. Well done." She didn't look convinced.

"I am not a pancake!" hissed Meow-Foy, his face livid.

"Well, you look like one now," remarked Rosalie. "You see, your face is red exactly where I would put the tomato sauce…"

The six of them bawled with laughter as Rosalie's supposed tomato sauce area spread on Malfoy's face.

"No one puts tomato sauce on their pancakes!" protested Mrs. Toad.

"Seriously, you have not found the real happiness in life!" Rosalie quoted.

"I just realized something," said Jasper. "You said _seriously._ Has this got anything to do with Black? Sirius Black?"

"What are you talking about?"

"_Seriously. Siriusly._"

Rosalie laughed. "No, but it might."

"CAN WE CONTINUE!" yelled Mrs. Toad and Meow-Foy together.

"YES. MA'AM, YOU MAY!" the six of them bellowed back.

"There are certain times in life," said Mrs. Toad, shaking with anger, "That you may find a time, a good opportunity to start over."

"I know," fake-sighed Edward. "I love to wave them by as they pass…"

As Emmett fell off his chair, Mrs. Toad stood up, her face livid.

"That's it! I am going to professor McGonagall!"

"Aw…poor Minnie! She's going to have to deal with something like you!" Bella shook her head sadly.

"I PERSONALLY FEEL SORRY FOR THE FACT THAT SHE HAS TO PUT UP WITH SUCH DISGRACEFUL STUDENTS AS YOU!"

"Does that include the grease-ball Snape?" Edward pointed out. "You see, Jasper is in _his_ house…"

"I HAVE NOT HEARD MR. WHITLOCK SAY A SINGLE THING OUT OF ORDER SINCE OUR SESSIONS!"

"Ah…poor Doe-Doe. She has not found _**or**__ heard_ the real happiness in life!"

The door slammed shut behind them. Meow-Foy turned to them.

"If you must know, you guys have got some nerve to stand up to a Ministry Counsellor like that."

"Should we take that as a compliment or what?" asked Edward, all trace of silliness gone as he draped his cloak around himself. Meow-Foy grinned.

"You could say that. Or, rather, I might actually appreciate that if you didn't hang me from the Quidditch Posts."

"If you think we're going to let you off just for that…" Emmett's threat dwindled away to nothing as Meow-Foy widened his eyes.

"If you must know, I hate these sessions."

"So do we," grumbled Rosalie as she grasped for Emmett's hand.

"I was thinking…maybe we could work our way out of it?"

Alice was in the motion of going out. "What?"

Malfoy mentioned to she and Jasper. "We don't _necessarily_ need to be enemies," he pointed out. "You've broken that rule. Let's put it this way…I could either be a good friend, or a dangerous enemy."

"You have no idea how true that is," muttered Alice, thinking about their third year and how Edward was almost revealed.

"He's going around the bush!" said Rosalie in frustration. "First, he talks about being _enemies,_ and now it seems as though he wants to be _friends!_"

"Well, you see, while you know only the way to Gryffindor and Slytherin Common rooms, you don't know the way to others."

Alice looked around curiously. "You're saying that you know?"

Malfoy nodded. "And a great deal of…secret passageways out of school."

"Why would we need secret passageways out of school anyway?" asked Alice.

"Well…for _Masen's_ 'illness…'"

Alice looked at Jasper in shock. Malfoy smirked. "You didn't manage to wipe away _that_ fact."

"We could still do it," said Alice, pulling out her wand. "Oblivigate, isn't it?"

"It is."

"Just cut the crap and tell us what you want!" exploded Emmett.

"Well…" Malfoy's eyes narrowed. "Once upon a time…there were the messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs."

Alice sighed. "No idea who they are."

"You don't need to. One of them, Moony, was a werewolf. Naturally, he hid this from his friends as well, like _you._" He gestured at Edward. "But they found a way around that. In fact, their little secret was never revealed—"

"The only _little secret_ never to be revealed here is going to be us ripping out your pathetic—" Emmett started to snarl angrily, but Rosalie stopped him.

"What are you talking about?"

Malfoy leaned closer to them. "Animagi."

**AN**

**S****orry about the delay. I was meant to post up this chapter on Monday or something like that, but then my family decided to take a little surprise trip to Gran. Which was so unexpected, we set off at four in the morning and I didn't get a chance to the computer until today. Anyway, leaving for New Zealand tomorrow, so New Zealand readers…here I come! XD**

**T****here were complaints about just how dark this story is becoming, so I decided to give you guys a laugh, although I don't think it's that funny at all. The last bit at the end was completely unexpected, of course, but if you have any comments about **_**Meow-Foy**_** befriending the Hogwarts Criminals, well, sue me.**

_**C**__**ontest peoples! Second question up:  
There was something wrong with the previous chapter. Find it and tell me why.**_

**Good luck!**

**O****h, and I forgot. Ever since I set up the "One-Month-No-Update" challenge for myself, I keep on forgetting to put this up. Maybe that's why you guys aren't doing it, but:**

**Please REVIEW!!!**


	30. Not Again!

**Not Again!**

"Right, Alice, so we'll start with a few spells…"

Alice brandished her wand threateningly at Jasper, who took no notice at all. "It's your third task, and if you are to face exactly what Malfoy says without any practice, you'll be sure to lose _very_ horribly."

"I still can't figure out why you would want to listen to that filth, Jasper," grumbled Edward. "For all we know, he could be pulling our leg. He supports Cedric Diggory—why should he support Alice now?"

Jasper raised his eyebrows. "I thought we were here to help Alice, not to argue whether or not we should trust Malfoy."

"Actually," interrupted Alice. "I want to know that one as well."

All eyes turned on Jasper and Rosalie stopped painting her nails. "Well?" asked Bella, although she looked less annoyed than the others.

Jasper took a deep breath. "Malfoy's father is a Death Eater."

"We all know that," said Rosalie, rolling her eyes.

"Yes. Well, the only reason I think that we should trust a Death Eater's son is because I think that the person who put Alice's name into the Goblet of Fire was no friend."

"Aw, you're crazy, man!" Edward exclaimed. "Who wouldn't want to be in this thing? It's the chance of a many that anyone would want!"

"I'm sure it is," agreed Jasper. "But people have _died_ in this thing."

"Has this got to do with Harry Potter?" asked Bella curiously. Jasper nodded.

"Don't you guys find it odd that at the same time Harry's name came out of the Goblet, Alice's came out, too? It's odd that in our second year, Alice went down to the Chamber, too? This isn't coincidence, guys, there's something up ever since Alice asked me to spy on Snape in our first year."

"But you were in that as well!" protested Emmett. "_You_ were the one who actually told Alice where Malfoy and Snape spent his evenings and _you_ were the one who went down to the Chamber with her."

"This has nothing to do with me," protested Jasper. "I was merely helping her. She dragged me down there, if you must know."

"So where is this all leading to?" asked Bella.

"One conclusion. You-Know-Who is after Harry, or something like that. And now, Alice is involved. If we stick to her, so are we."

There was a chilling silence. Then Edward spoke again.

"Okay. So, Voldemort is coming back. How is befriending one of his follower's son going to do us any good at all?"

"Ah, you have not understood the real meaning of life…"

Rosalie rolled her eyes as Edward laughed at the quote. "Have you heard of the old wizard saying? The closer you—"

The door banged open before Jasper could complete his sentence and Harry Potter burst into the room. "Oh, sorry," he said, panting. "Is this room free? I wanted to practice…"

Harry's eyes fell on Alice and he looked away quickly, his face turning red. Edward coughed.

"Um, sorry…we're using it. Maybe you could try Professor Moody?"

Alice was pleased to see Harry back out of the room. Behind him in the corridor, she could see Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger. The door swung shut behind them.

"—are to your enemies, the safer you are," finished Jasper. However, the rest of the room was too busy discussing what had just happened.

"He was _listening, _guys. See, there is a Chinese saying that when you say Cao-Cao, Cao-Cao comes. It's the same thing here—you talk about Harry Potter, Harry Potter comes. It is way creepy, I tell you."

"It is _not,_" huffed Rosalie at Bella. "I bet that he probably just wanted us to listen to a few spells that we have got—"

"He's got Granger, Hermione Granger for that, why would he—"

"OI!" yelled Alice. Everyone shut up instantly and stared at her. "I'm here to practice," she reminded them. "Remember that. If you guys can't help, you might as well go back."

Jasper snapped out of his argument with Emmett instantly. "All right," he said, shoving Emmett off his body (Emmett had him in a headlock) and crossing the room. "We'll continue with the Stunning Spell…ready?"

Alice nodded and raised her wand. Jasper followed suit.

"Okay, then, on the count of three—one—two—three—"

"Stupefy!" yelled Alice instantly, but another jet of red had already caught her in the stomach and she was knocked off her feet.

"Alice!" Bella yelled, rushing over to her. Alice sat up, wheezing but grinning at the same time. She smiled widely up at a worried looking Jasper.

"That was _fantastic!_" she exclaimed. "Let's do it again!"

Jasper looked worried. "Are you sure? If you want to rest…"

Before he even finished, Alice had raised her wand and yelled: "Stupefy!"

But for a second time, Alice was knocked off her feet and her head slammed to the ground, knocking her unconscious. When she opened her eyes again, she found Jasper and Rosalie in the midst of a hot argument. Edward and Bella hurried to her when they saw her awake.

"Take it easy, Alice," Edward warned as she tittered unsteadily to her feet. "You have to be careful, Jasper…"

But Jasper shook his head. "I did that on purpose. Alice needs to be quick to react to attacks. If she ever misses—"

"That is _not_ the point!" Rosalie said accusingly. "What is the point of reacting to anything when you're going to get her killed in her _training?_"

Jasper put on a pained look. "I meant, that wasn't exactly a good spell, all it did was to—"

"—you mean, all it did was to nearly break her spine!" Rosalie snapped back at him. Jasper blinked at her harsh tone.

"Sorry, I was only trying to—"

"Rose—" Emmett began, but Rosalie was starting to get worked up.

"What happens if you really kill her, eh? What is going to happen if she is really going to be a crazy, smirking idiot when the third task arrives? What if you knock her out into a dummy so that even St. Mungos can't help her retrieve her memory?"

"Rosalie," said Alice quietly. "Rosalie, I asked for it, it really doesn't matter…"

"Just leave it," suggested Bella, but Rosalie ignored the both of them completely.

"Maybe…" Jasper frowned for a moment, as though trying to work out how to brew up a particularly complicated potion as he massaged the side of his head. "I mean, perhaps you're suggesting that you will be better at teaching her spells?"

Alice's eyes widened as Rosalie nodded firmly, her expression fierce. Jasper's eyes met her for a brief moment before he picked up his fallen wand on the ground and groaned.

"Broken again. Well, I'm going to have to write for a new one, then. See you all soon."

The room was quiet as Jasper shut the door quietly behind him. Bella turned to Rosalie immediately.

"What did you do that for, Rose? It was completely uncalled for, now you've messed things up totally…"

Rosalie rolled up her sleeves. "Well, it's my turn," she said, ignoring Bella and addressing Alice directly. Edward and Emmett looked baffled.

"Rosalie—"

Rosalie held up her finger. "I'm in charge now," she said sharply. "We will start off from _Stupefy._ Ready, Alice?"

Alice, as irritated as she was, held her wand ready. "Yeah," she said, wishing that she could knock Rosalie off her feet as Jasper did to her.

"On three—one, two, three!"

Alice raised her wand and shouted again: "Stupefy!" and squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for Rosalie's spell to come and blow her away like a paper in the wind. However, the vase behind her exploded, the piece flying everywhere and Rosalie was knocked off her feet as Alice's spell barrelled into her.

"I know this was a bad idea," groaned Edward as they rushed over to Rosalie. Rosalie swatted their hands away, however.

"I'm fine," she wheezed.

"Maybe we should just stop," suggested Bella. This idea was greeted with much enthusiasm and the all headed back to Gryffindor tower, none of them with enough strength to say anything.

"That was incredibly stupid, Rosalie," said Bella was they got into bed. Alice groaned at her aching muscles.

"It was," she agreed, heaving her bruised backside into bed. There was a short pause from Rosalie. Then:

"Yeah," Rosalie sighed wearily. "I know. It was rather stupid."

**~0o0o0o0o0o0o0~**

"Not again!" exclaimed Alice in horror.

Jasper rolled his eyes. "I know. The last time it happened, he actually threatened to keep me from coming back to Hogwarts if I ever let it happen again."

"Your uncle is a psycho," muttered Edward. "_Everyone_ breaks their wand."

"Not as frequently as I do," Jasper reminded him, dragging his trunk. "I don't know why…"

"But you _will_ be back, won't you?" asked Alice desperately. "I mean, in our fifth year? _Surely_ he's going to let you? We're going to take our O.W.L.s, you know."

"I really have no idea," Jasper replied, trying to tape his wand back together as a last attempt. Malfoy appeared suddenly.

"Hey, Whitlock," he said in a mysterious tone. "I have something _spooky_ to say to you!"

Malfoy had indeed been a lot better ever since they had let him join the Hogwarts Criminals. His attitude towards them had improved, although he still couldn't help but try to trip up Harry Potter whenever he passed (Alice assumed that it was just something that never seemed to die out, no matter what happened between the two of them).

"Whatever it is, it can't be spookier than yourself, can it?" smirked Jasper, but Malfoy pulled him into a corner and began to gesture something wildly. Alice watched in as Jasper's disbelief quickly turned to horror and finally back to disbelief before Malfoy finally pulled away, his expression grave.

"What is it?" asked Bella when he rejoined them again. He shrugged.

"Nothing, really. He just wanted me to wish you good luck in your third task." He cocked an eyebrow at her. "Perhaps he has a crush on you!"

Although he said it jokingly and his face was cheerful, Alice couldn't help but notice a bitter note in his tone as he said it.

**AN**

**T****hank you for all your feedback! I didn't get Internet access until four days after I submitted the last chapter, I was so busy and I don't have the line here in NZ. I was so excited when I read all your reviews, it was like having Christmas repeated again and again…20 times, actually, only better! XD**

**Jasper's wand broken...again. I apologize for the weakness of that, but I need him away from the story for a few weeks...or months, actually. Hopefully, it will be the last time, or...or Uncle is going to blow!**

**Sorry for the bad quality of the chapter, but I had to keep my promise to update more frequently. Thanks for those who allowed me to go on with the dark stuff - I'm looking so much to it. Actually, when I stated that this story would be rated M, I was thinking of the blood and gore I'd write about...not sex, no. Although I'll lower the rating a little, if that's what you people want.**

**And if I don't answer your reviews, I'm so sorry, but I'm only allowed 20 minutes on the Internet and submitting takes me ages because it's so slow here! I'll try to get back to you guys, but just so you know, if you reviewed, I really appreciate it! It keeps this story going on, and hopefully we'll be at the end of it...soon. It is only because of you guys that we have reached Chapter 30!**

**Note: N****o contest going on at the moment—people aren't following the rules. I'll just have to postpone it for the moment.**

**Oh, and Michael Jackson! I'm not a fan or anything, but if you like him, leave a review to show that you care for his death!**

**...in living memory.**

**Please REVIEW!!!**


	31. Valentine Blood

**Valentine Blood**

Alice took a deep breath and entered the dark maze, first and alone, singing softly to cheer herself up. Her friends were now somewhere in the invisible crowd outside of the maze and she did her best not to think of them and concentrate on the darkness.

"_Lumous!_" she whispered. Her wand flared and she looked around her. The path was narrow, the side decorated with prickly bushes. Behind her, she heard Cedric and Harry entering the maze and sped up, tripping over her own feet. She couldn't stop her teeth from chattering wildly in fear—the dark had never been nice to her before and the previous times that she had been in the dark (e.g., the Chamber of Secrets), she had Jasper for company. Now, there was no one, not even Rosalie or Malfoy.

"Point me," she hissed at her wand, holding out her palm. One of her biggest fears now was to come to a dead end—who knew how much time she would waste hitting a dead end? But she turned the corner again and still met no dead end. Was luck on her side? She thought back to the Butterbeer and smiled grimly at the memory. Now, _that_ had been something.

Just as she was thinking of her last lesson with Jasper, a huge shape loomed out of nowhere. Alice stopped in the middle of her tracks as a huge sphinx prowled out of the darkness and into the full glare of her wand and sat in the middle of the path.

"You are nearly there," said the sphinx in a creepy voice. Alice frowned—she knew only a little about them…were they dangerous? The sphinx smiled and blinked at her slowly.

"You are nearly there," she repeated. "The quickest way is past me."

"But I've only just started!" Alice protested. The sphinx cocked her head to one side and sure enough, Alice could see the gleaming cup. She frowned again. Something wasn't making any sense—how could the task be so easy?

"Will you move, then?" she asked, trying to conceal her fear.

"No. To past, you must answer a riddle correctly. If you guess correctly, I let you—"

"Will you just cut the crap and tell me?" asked Alice, feeling more spooked within every second. The sphinx looked angry at having its usual show insulted.

"Very well," she said, annoyed. "Listen carefully, for I shall give you the hardest for you cheek…"

_I__ am always beside you,_

_Y__et, never there at all;_

_I__ make love seem worthless,_

_B__ut I may be love itself;_

_Muggles hate and hate me,_

_B__ut wizards love and fear me;_

_I__f you call my name, I respond not,_

_I__f you need me, I will come to you;_

_N__ow tell me this, and answer this truly:_

_C__an you guess this riddle?"_

Alice gaped at the sphinx, which stretched lazily. "Um…what? I am always beside you…that would be the air—wait, no, it's not there…forget that. What was the second line?"

The sphinx glared at her and repeated the second line. "Make love see worthless…" her thoughts flicker to someone in particular immediately, but quickly cancelled that thought. "But may be love itself…would that be love? I'll come back to that one. Muggles hate…" she racked her brains. "Muggles don't hate love, do they? Maybe they hate rats…I don't know, I'm not one myself." She felt hot and irritated. "Wizards love…rats? I know Ron Weasley does…some don't…if I call your name…"

Just as she was thinking of all the possibilities (ranging from roast chicken to a basilisk), she heard a faint rustle behind her and the sphinx glanced up sharply but fell to the ground, struck by a sudden jet of red that had just issued from Viktor Krum's wand. Alice whirled around and ducked as Krum aimed for her and all of a sudden, time seemed to slow as Alice was transported once more back to the last lesson in the Room of Requirement she'd taken from Jasper.

Alice ducked and raised her wand.

"_Stupefy!_"

The darkness came back in a flood and Krum was lying in front of her. He had been knocked out. Alice shuddered and turned to dart past the sphinx. The cup was hers…eternal glory at last…Alice leaped and grasped the handle of the Twizard Cup. But even as her hands closed around the handles, a pulling sensation around her waist told her that something was terribly wrong as the world around her dissolved and she was whirling through endless time and space.

**~0o0o0o0o0o0o0~**

Alice slammed into the ground nose first and she rolled over, groaning. For a moment, her legs were far too tired to obey her and she lay in silence for a few minutes.

_I__ could lie here forever,_ Alice thought tiredly, but her eyes flew open as someone yanked her up sharply by her arm. She found herself staring into the face of a fat, balding man that looked a little like a rat. Alice reached for her wand, but it was snatched away by another person.

"Brandon…" a man breathed down her neck. She shivered and recognized it as Mad-Eye Moody's voice. What was he doing here? Alice watched him with wide eyes as he twirled her wand.

"How did the task go, Miss Brandon?" asked the DA teacher smugly. She cried out in pain as he back-handed her. "I suppose it must have been a piece of cake, eh? Hogwarts Criminals and all that…do you have any idea at all how much trouble you caused me this year?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," she stammered. In truth, there was nothing wrong about being counselled on Saturdays, was there? Apart from Mrs. Doe-Doe, she couldn't see any harm in that.

Unless…Alice racked her brains as Mad-Eye Moody watched. The mousey man suddenly slipped and Alice saw the dark mark imprinted on his arm. Eyes wide, Alice began to see through the confusion. Mrs. Toad had been a counsellor… a _Ministry_ counsellor. Alice's eyes grew wide as the truth hit her all of a sudden.

"You…" she choked out. "You're a _Death Eater!_"

Mad-Eye Moody shook his head. "You're wrong about that, Brandon. Mad-Eye Moody would never, ever mess up anything like this. He was Dumbledore's man through and through, but on the other hand, if someone else went and _pretended_…"

Alice had no idea what Moody was talking about when he stooped suddenly and began to drag Alice through the long grass. She realized that they were in a graveyard, the cold stones blurry in the thick mist. Moody took her to a gravestone and, despite her desperate struggles, bound her to it and took out a knife, brandishing it in her face.

"Now…let's see…where shall we begin?" his eyes darted up and down. Alice felt her face go hot as they landed on a particular spot they shouldn't be looking and she remembered briefly that he could see through clothes with his magical eye.

"Are you _sexual harassing me,_ professor?" Alice demanded, wishing that she was able to poke the eye out. Moody grinned.

"Ah, the art of fury." He shoved back her sleeves and the knife swung in an arc. Alice felt a scream erupt inside her as the knife penetrated her skin, piercing her hand but she kept her teeth clamped together—there was no way that she was going to let Moody have his fun. Moody frowned at her silence and, untying her from the gravestone, began to lead her on.

"You are about to experience something great," he told her. "It is the resurrection of something so terrible but it will change the world! And master knows that it is with _my_ help—"

Alice tried to kick out at him, but Moody ducked. As he dodged to the side, Alice brought her foot crashing straight into his stomach and into his face as he collapsed. She took the chance to turn and run, but ran straight into someone else.

"Well, my dear servant, look what we have here," said a high voice. The mist around Alice cleared and she saw a ring of Death Eaters standing in a circle. Alice looked up to see a tall man in black robes, his nostrils like a snake's and his eyes red. There was no doubting who he was.

"I am afraid that you are a little late," said Voldemort to Moody. "You see, I have already come back, and Harry Potter has slipped through my fingers _again…_" he examined his spider-like hands. "However, you may go back to Hogwarts…you will be the one that Dumbledore trusts the most, of course."

"Yes, master," said Moody, and with a crack, he disappeared. Voldemort turned his gaze onto Alice.

"Ah…yes. Alice Brandon."

"What do you want?" Alice demanded. It suddenly occurred to her that if he wanted to kill her, he would have done so ages ago.

"A lot," Voldemort answered. He seized her arm and his hands were suddenly stained with blood. "Love," he said, looking down at the red substance. Alice tried to pull away, but he held on.

"Let go!" she hissed, but instead, Voldemort did something extremely unexpected: he took out a wand and made a small wound on his left palm and still gripping her tightly, pressed her wound to his.

"Do you know why you are here, Alice?" Voldemort said, laughing in a high voice. Alice felt a bitter cold slipping through her veins as they made contact. There were brief images of memories she had never had before—a dark cave, a tiny room, a thick forest…Alice knew, somehow, that she as seeing Voldemort's memories.

"I wanted Harry Potter's blood," Voldemort was saying. The blood pounding in Alice's ears subdued and her knees gave way, collapsing onto the ground. "Yes, but it was still not enough…I needed something stronger. While it was the filthy muggle's love that I needed, I still felt pain as I touched Potter. There is not enough protection in my veins…"

"What has that got to do with me?" Alice said, trying to clear her head of the pain. Voldemort smiled.

"Ah…you see, Alice, your blood runs thick with Love itself. You were born on _Valentine's Day, _which is, if I am correct, a day of _love._" His eyes seemed even hungrier than ever. "Which is why I transferred a little of yours into mine. And that scar on your arm…well, you can imagine what it is like for Harry Potter now."

Alice felt infuriated, but she knew that she had to find that Portkey and get back to Hogwarts before Voldemort decided to kill and also to warn Dumbledore of Mad-Eye Moody. Voldemort was smiling, raising his wand…

"And now, we duel to death. The winner goes to Hogwarts…now, let us bow."

Alice bowed obediently but briefly and as Voldemort began to rise, she turned and fled towards the Triwizard Cup. She heard Voldemort shriek in rage and a green jet of light flew past her ear and she fell forwards onto the ground. One of the Death Eaters reached forwards and grabbed her roughly up from the ground.

"Are you running away from Lord Voldemort?" he demanded, choking her.

"N—no, I mean, y—yes," Alice managed to spit out between her teeth, fumbling for her wand. But her fingers were slippery with blood and her arm still throbbed from the wound in her arm and the wand slipped through her fingers. She saw Voldemort's face smile and instantly realized what pure evil was all about as he raised his wand to deliver the Killing Curse. She squeezed her eyes shut, all the fight going out of her.

"_Accio Cup!"_

Alice's eyes flew open. The cup was suddenly zooming towards her, despite many Death Eaters who tried to snatch it away. As it drew nearer, Alice shut her eyes again and, not bothering to find her saviour, she reached out with both hands and grabbed the cup by the handles

**~0o0o0o0o0o0o0~**

Again, Alice slammed into the ground nose-first. Every bit of her body ached and her wound was bleeding freely. Her head swam as she looked up to see the sphinx come towards her.

"_I__ am always beside you,_

_Y__et, never there at all;_

_I__ make love seem worthless…"_

Alice could no longer think as the world began to spin around her. "I don't know," she moaned, sinking back onto the ground and passing out in dead faint.

**AN**

**This chapter****—no, this **_**story**_** is getting harder and harder to write—all that darkness freaks me out. So I was sulking, being stupid, not writing, or trying to write…but still, it's no excuse for the delay. I am so sorry for that, but hopefully this was worth the wait.**

**A****nd the sixth Harry Potter movie put me off writing, too—it was a total DISAGRACE to the series, so I decided to slip back to High School Musical. Laugh all you like, but guess what? This story was actually written while I was listening to **_**"We're All In This Together"**_**. So, **_**Bop To The Top! This Could Be The Start of Something New! **_**Savvy?**

**A****nyways, holidays here are over, school uniform's back on, etc. Oh, and we have to decide our subjects for next year already…career stuff? May you all find your darling Jasper in later life, new goals wishes for the term, great grades and hopefully more updates for this story...? I can't guarantee on that. **

**A****s for Alice's riddle that the sphinx gave her, can **_**you**_** figure that out? Clue: the answer isn't rats, or love, or Jasper. Good luck on that.**

**P****lease REVIEW!!!**


	32. End of Year 4: A Steamy Love Life

**A Steamy Love Life**

_I__t was somewhere inside Alice's memory, but she didn't ever remember the scene. There was a throbbing inside her head, pounding at the insides. But it wasn't just her head—every bit of her body was in pain. She didn't recall ever experiencing anything like it before._

_A__nd then Jasper was there, looking down at her. Every bit of him was as clear as the last time she had seen him—the hurt features, the sapphire eyes, the narrowed eyebrows…as Alice looked into his eyes, Jasper began to speak._

"Alice!"

Alice's eyes felt like they weighed a tonne but she forced them open. The faces of her friends looked down upon her fearfully, a few others behind them. For a moment, she was confused about where she was.

"Are you all right, Alice?" whispered Rosalie. Alice closed her eyes again…how she wanted to go back to sleep…

But there was a nagging thought at the back of her head.

"Lord Voldemort!" she screamed, sitting up so suddenly that she and Edward's head nearly collided. The others wheeled back to avoid Alice. "Voldemort's back!" she screamed again, more loudly this time. Emmett pushed her back.

"Hey, it's all right, Alice," he said. "Alice, everything is fine…there's nothing to be afraid of."

"But—"

"Dumbledore knows," said Malfoy quickly before she could start again. When Alice gaped at him, surprised by his sudden appearance, Bella took up.

"You weren't the only one in that graveyard. Harry Potter was there was well."

Of course Harry was there. Why didn't she think of it? Alice moaned and collapsed back onto the pillows. "Where am I?" she asked drowsily, her consciousness slipping again.

"The hospital wing," said Leah, appearing from behind Emmett's massive stature. "You've been out for three days. But you won the cup, Alice! You tied with Harry! You actually won the Triwizard Cup!"

Alice looked around them and a grin slowly slipped onto her face. "Is that why you're all rushing at me like I'm dying?"

"Very funny," said Edward, rolling his eyes. "You've got no idea what it was like, these past few days. What with Cedric Diggory dead, tales of Voldemort being back and Barty Crouch junior dressing up as Mad-Eye-Moody—"

"What a pervert," Alice commented, remembering their meeting in the graveyard.

"—and dying before he was even put on trial," finished Rosalie. "You have to admit, that's like, the best news the wizarding world has had ever since Voldemort's downfall fourteen years ago."

"Where's Jasper?" asked Alice, her brain going foggy again. The others looked at each other.

"Um—"

Alice seized the front of Emmett's robes. Emmett, being big and fit, she all but hung onto the fabric and dangled in midair. "I know he was here. Where is he?"

"Are you all right, Alice?" asked Sam, trying to pry Alice away from Emmett with Leah. "Jasper left, don't you remember? He's not coming back until next term."

Alice scowled at him, releasing Emmett's clothes. "I saw him! He was…" she looked around the room. "…right here!" she waved vaguely around her. Edward shook his head.

"You were probably dreaming, Alice. Like Bella said, he left."

"Ooh, but at long last! Little Alice is finally dreaming about a steamy love life with Jasper!" said Sam teasingly. The others laughed, and Alice, to her surprise, laughed along and blushed a deep crimson.

"Well, maybe I am, I mean—hey!" she shoved him back playfully.

And the room was suddenly full of laughter. Outside, thunder clapped, lighting struck, but that was all nothing to Alice right now. Being with her friends and those who cared for her was all she needed. Despite the storm that she knew was going to strike soon, she knew that she had at least one more peaceful afternoon to spend with her friends.

**AN**

**A****s much as I would loved to have this chapter a funny, light and un-serious one full of Meow-Foy and Mrs. Toad, I had to continue with the darkness from where I left off. I had no idea what you guys wrote due to the lack of Internet, but when I did, it was fabulous. Thank you for all your kind reviews, and even if it was a critic, I thank you anyway. A lot of you were very clever at the riddle (although no one was strictly correct)…but I'm going to let others have a go at it before I let the cat out of the bag. But never worry about the darkness, or riddles, because—**

—**What time is it? SUMMERTIME! Welcome to the summer before the O.W.L.s! **

**(Although summer is actually ending or has already ended for you guys, eh?)**

**P****lease REVIEW!!!**


	33. Corpse

**Corpse**

"What do you think about the OW.L.s?" Alice asked the others as they hid in a closet. Emmett pretended to faint in shock.

"Terrifying," said Bella. "My cousin nearly died of it."

"How?" asked Edward.

"He got up at three to study ever morning," said Bella in a matter-of-factly voice. "And he went to bed at two in the morning. Tired himself out—got liver cancer, I think. When they discovered it, it was already in the late stages."

Emmett snorted. "How did he do in the exams?"

Bella smiled. "He received five 'Outstanding' s and it was pretty good."

"Three in the morning and twelve at night?" Rosalie laughed. "Golly, that sounds like something Jasper would do…"

Alice smiled at the fact. "Then we'd tie him to his bed," she suggested.

"Yeah, and do a bad act of a Slytherin?"

The closet door was flung open. Malfoy grinned down at them. Edward scowled and looked up at Malfoy straight in the eye.

"Now, I don't know about the others, dear Draco, but I think it's a bad idea to have you on this team. For all we know, you'll just turn us in later."

Malfoy scowled. "I've already missed the Hogwarts Express," he protested. "Anyway, it's your idea to fly home on a broomstick instead of taking the train—if we get seen by muggles, it's not my fault."

Rosalie pushed her way between Edward and Meow-Foy. "Stop it, you two. Come on, let's go get our broomsticks. Are the fireworks ready, Alice?"

Alice nodded and produced a set of fireworks from her robes. "Enough to create a big bang," she said rather happily. "Let's go get Seth and Leah."

Seth and Leah, however, were already waiting for them on top of the Astrology Tower. "We couldn't resist coming out of hiding early," explained Leah when she saw Emmett's annoyed expression. "Anyway, can we _please, please, please_ get on with the plan?"

Rosalie laughed "All right," she said, dividing the fireworks up. "Let's see…Emmett and I will start from the East Wing; Edward and Bella will start from the West. Seth, Leah: you guys start from the Great Hall while Alice, you go with Malfoy down from the Dungeons. We'll all meet up here in…say, fifteen minutes?"

"Fifteen minutes," agreed the others.

"And remember," said Edward as they picked up the fireworks awkwardly from the ground, "if you meet any professors, aim one at them!"

"That will earn us an 'F' in the fifth year," muttered Malfoy.

"Worse, a "T"!" said Seth.

"T?"

"Troll."

Everyone laughed and departed. Malfoy looked at Alice.

"Are you good at flying, Alice?"

Alice smiled, not registering the unusual use of her name. "You have no idea."

**~0o0o0o0o0o0o0~**

The dungeons, like all dungeons, were cold, dark and gave Alice the creeps. As they descended the stairs, Alice began to feel a slight chill creeping up from her legs.

"Do you Slytherins actually _live_ somewhere like this?" she asked, her teeth chattering. Perhaps it was the absence of students, but her voice echoed loudly around them. Malfoy shook his head.

"Nah, it's warmer in the common room. Are you cold?"

"It's beyond words," muttered Alice, rubbing her arms as Goosebumps began to form. Without a word, Malfoy handed her his cloak. This move struck Alice as rather odd, but she took no notice of it as she mounted her broomstick and they waited for Edward's signal.

It became rather quiet. Alice frowned; it wouldn't take the others that long to get up to the towers. Without knowing how, she suddenly found her hand squeezing Malfoy's tightly. She didn't let go.

As the seconds passed, Alice's heartbeat quickened with each _tick_ and the worry inside her increased rapidly. Finally, Malfoy turned to her.

"What do you think happened?"

"I don't know…maybe they were caught? Or maybe—"

But her words were cut off from a growing mist which was visible, even in the darkness. All at once, she knew what it was.

"Dementors!" hissed Malfoy a second before she did. "Dementors…no, they're bodies!"

Bodies? Alice turned and saw, incredibly, a naked man staggering towards her from the far end of the corridor. What made her shiver was the fact that his eyes were lifeless…he wasn't living, he was a corpse…

"RUN!" screamed Alice. She mounted her broom, but more bodies were coming towards her from the far end, blocking their escape. Looking back, she saw more coming from the shadows…men, women, _children…_

"THE FIREWORKS!" yelled Malfoy. Alice dug for her fireworks frantically as Malfoy produced a small flame from the tip of his wand. Pointing it towards the exit, Alice covered her ears as the fireworks went off from the flame. Not listening to anyone or looking to see if she had hit her target, Alice clambered onto her broom and shot towards the fallen bodies, Malfoy only a few metres ahead of her. However, as she began to fly out from their ranks, she screamed as a freezing, dead hand wrapped itself around her ankle and pulled her down. Losing her grip on her broom, Alice felt thousands of fingers clawing at her body.

"HELP!" she screamed, nearly tearing her throat and getting a mouthful of dead fingers. A firework suddenly shot into the mass of bodies, narrowly missing Alice's head. As the ranks were destroyed temporarily, Alice felt a hand grab hers and yank her onto a broom clumsily.

"Come on!" Malfoy's voice reached her ears above all the moaning the bodies were doing. Alice climbed onto the broom awkwardly and clutched at Malfoy's waist for dear life as they flew out from the darkness of the dungeons and out into the light.

**~0o0o0o0o0o0o0~**

"Where _were_ you?" demanded Emmett and Edward, both looking worried sick. Alice realized only now that there were dried tears on her face as she clung onto Malfoy.

"And what the _hell_ happened?" asked Bella pulling Alice off Malfoy's broom. "We hadn't given off the signal because Peeves was around, but when you guys set off those fireworks—"

"We were attacked by _corpses,_" snapped Malfoy. "There was a whole crowd of them down there in the dungeons. One of them made off with Alice's broom and if it weren't for the fireworks, we'd be dead!"

"I don't believe it," snapped Edward. "Bodies? Corpses? You've got to be kidding me." He looked towards the dungeons. "Come on, let's go and check your _bodies_ out."

"Don't!" gasped Alice, without knowing what she was saying. Rosalie sniggered.

"Come on, Alice. Malfoy's probably being telling you ghost stories about Slytherins sleeping with Corpses." The others headed towards the dungeons, Leah and Seth giving Alice weird, puzzled looks. Alice hesitated, but Malfoy pulled on her arm gently and she followed the others cautiously. However, the sight made her more terrified than she already was:

There was nothing there. Only her broomstick and the remains of a few burnt-out fireworks lay in the darkness.

**AN**

**No, no, not Alice and Malfoy fluff! Spare me the reviews of 'Ew' and 'yuck'—most people are asking for romantic scenes! And in fact, I actually did give you guys a warning about this unusual scene…**

_Extract from Only Slytherin, Chapter 30_

"_Whatever it is, it can't be spookier than yourself, can it?" smirked Jasper, but Malfoy pulled him into a corner and began to gesture something wildly. Alice watched in as Jasper's disbelief quickly turned to horror and finally back to disbelief before Malfoy finally pulled away, his expression grave._

"_What is it?" asked Bella when he rejoined them again. He shrugged._

"_Nothing, really. He just wanted me to wish you good luck in your third task." He cocked an eyebrow at her. "Perhaps he has a crush on you!"_

_Although he said it jokingly and his face was cheerful, Alice couldn't help but notice a bitter note in his tone as he said it._

**So there! Oh, and the riddle…the riddle…not yet! Don't fret over it. It's not the end of the world, and when you hear the answer, you'll wish you never thought about it. And does anyone remember what the name for the corpses was? I haven't got the Half Blood Prince with me yet…**

**By the way, thank you to all that reviewed, etc. You guys are the best. Show me more!**

**Please REVIEW!!!**


	34. Queen Piggy

**Queen Piggy**

"Bloody English weather, why does it always have to rain during the holidays?" grumbled Bella as she collapsed into bed, yawning. Alice, however, had other more pressing matters on her mind rather than the bloody English weather.

"Rosalie? You've got to help me."

Rosalie sighed and flung her copy of _Witch's Weekly_ across the bed. "You'll do just fine," she assured Alice. Alice frowned.

"Come on, guys—this is an _American Muggle_ we're talking about here. Don't you realize what this means?"

"No," replied Bella from beneath the covers. Alice yanked them away and stared fiercely at her friends.

"It means spelling 'colour' with no 'u'; asking for 'Walmart' all day; constant wars over nothing—"

"On the other hand, Alice," said Rosalie as she began to do her nails, "have you thought about just how good they might be at makeup and clothes?"

"I don't want nothing to do with clothes!" Alice flushed rather angrily. Bella giggled and slipped into the bathroom. Alice looked at Rosalie with pleading eyes.

"Please, Rose? It's enough that my mother wants to let an American stay with us, her name is Queen Piggy!"

"That's just a nickname, I'm sure," replied Rosalie absentmindedly, still painting her nails.

"Honest! That's her real name!"

"Is she going to Hogwarts next term?"

"That's where it all goes wrong!" protested Alice, throwing her hands up.

"I thought you said she was a muggle."

"So is Hermione Granger, but Hogwarts let her in."

"Well, maybe they won't let _her,_" responded Rosalie. Alice opened her mouth to complain, but Bella rushed out of the bathroom, yelling in horror.

"A sail! A sail!"

"That comes from Shakespeare, right?" suggested Rosalie cautiously, peering out of the window. Alice rolled her eyes.

"Don't be so mean, Bella. No one as the right to be called fat."

"This one does!" Bella yanked Alice to the window. Peering outside, Alice was astonished to see a huge thing in the sky. It was white, it was large and on a broomstick. And whatever it was had an American flag attached to it like a cape. Alice knew instantly who/what it was.

"Queen Piggy is here!"

**~0o0o0o0o0o0o0~**

"Hello!" boomed a voice, shaking the house literally. Alice and the others winced as their ears were nearly deafened by the sound. Alice listened for her mother and father, but then realized that it was Monday; they were still at work. Groaning to herself silently and trying to ignore the wicked looks on Rosalie and Bella's face, she descended the stairs.

"Hello," said Alice, putting on a brave face when in fact she was cowering. Queen Piggy was huge, tall and looked something out of a freak show. Queen Piggy stuck out her fat hand.

"I'm Queen Piggy," she announced. Rosalie snickered.

"She's a comparison with Emmett."

"Who's Emmett?" demanded Queen Piggy loudly. Alice smiled bravely.

"Um, the cat."

Winter, at this point, chose to walk into the room. As soon as Queen Piggy saw Winter, she let out a loud _awwww._

"Oh, isn't she _adorable,_ aren't you, Emmett?" she kissed Winter's nose, who nearly scratched her.

"Um, that's Winter," said Alice quickly just in case Emmett should ever find out about the incorrect use of his name. "Emmett died years ago."

"That's sad," said Queen Piggy, still stroking Winter and not sounding the least sorry. Bella cleared her throat.

"So, how did you get here from America?"

"I flew, of course," responded Queen Piggy, sitting down at the dining table without invitation and hogging the remains of breakfast (which, by the way, included two loafs of bread and a whole jog of milk). Alice watched in awe as she crammed the last piece of bread into her mouth and washed it down with milk and burped loudly.

"So, you're Alice?" asked Queen Piggy to Bella. Bella shook her head.

"Actually—"

"Nice to meet you, Alice. You look just like an Alice."

"_I'm_ Alice," interrupted Alice. Queen Piggy looked around sharply.

"But you don't look like one! Alice in Wonderland looks just like _her_! You look like a pixy!"

"I _am_ Alice," said Alice, trying to be polite but feeling gutted at the same time.

Queen Piggy scowled. "Now, you listen here, pixy," she growled. "I didn't fly all the way from America to—"

"So which state are you from?" asked Rosalie, breaking the tension. "I hear that America has err—many states."

Queen Piggy swelled with pride. "We have fifty," she said proudly. Bella frowned.

"I thought you guys had only forty-nine."

"Don't be stupid, that's only for wizards and witches!" boomed Queen Piggy. "One, because forty-nine is the area of seven, which is supposedly a magical number—"

"—Genius,--" muttered Alice.

"—and two, because we don't want a big city to be called New York, which is named after York in Britain because it sounds downright stupid and—"

"Why don't you unpack or something?" interrupted Alice, who sensed that perhaps the conversation was not the best thing to be having at the moment. Queen Piggy frowned.

"Do you have a stove so I can cook something _hot_ instead of just bread and milk?"

"In there." Alice grabbed her friends' hands and dragged them out to the corridor.

"See what I mean? She's a total _freak,_" hissed Alice. Rosalie and Bella both looked baffled.

"Well, she might be pretty mean, but—"

"Do you smell fire?" Bella asked suddenly. Alice's blood ran cold; she had forgotten about the fact that Queen Piggy was a muggle and an American and therefore probably didn't know how to use the fire…

"FIRE!" shouted Rosalie, rushing in to the kitchen where black smoke was coming from. Alice threw open all the windows as she dashed over to the kitchen. Queen Piggy emerged, coughing.

"The pot—burned me!" she gasped. Alice shoved her out of the way and grabbed a bucket of water standing in the corner of the room and directed it at where the flames were coming from. But the flames rushed out at her, fiercer than ever.

"RUN!" shouted Bella, pulling Alice to the floor as another flame issued at her head. Alice hesitated, but Rosalie grabbed her arm.

"Let's go—she's set the entire kitchen on fire!"

Eyes streaming and choking, Alice stumbled out of the house. Queen Piggy was already howling for help in the field, but if she had known the infrastructure around the place, she'd have known that very few people lived there. Alice turned her eyes on the burning house and then to the sky:

"Where is that bloody English weather when you need it?"

**Okay, okay, sorry about the last chapter. And by the way, in case you guys haven't noticed, this story is a version of the newly deleted story **_**Queen Piggy,**_** except I'll make it funnier. I think we all need some lighter stuff to get us all ready for the fifth year and a break from the fourth.**

**By the way, this is NOT insulting all that come from the USA. America rocks—don't take it the wrong way, I got this idea from a Simpson's Episode. Did I get everything right about America, including the stuff about greetings, spellings at Walmart? I hope you Americans take it comically rather than as a personal insult.**

**Please REVIEW!!!**


	35. A Kiss To Remember

**A Kiss To Remember**

Alice slammed the compartment door shut and fell back against the seat. Outside, Queen Piggy pounded a few more times on the door, and then finally retired to annoy something else. Emmett and Edward both had quirky looks on their faces.

"Well, Alice, it's sort of hard to believe that the pig we just saw just burned down your house during summer."

"But she did!" protested Bella. "The whole house was in ashes when Alice's parents came back…"

"Boy, that must have been exciting."

"Tell me about it," groaned Alice as the memories came back. "First, Queen Piggy told them that I hadn't taught her anything about using magic stoves and stuff. I was grounded for the whole summer."

"I wonder where she's going to end up, though," said Rosalie thoughtfully as Queen Piggy came back with two thugs from Hufflepuff. Emmett bared his teeth at them in a horrifying way.

"Slytherin, I'm going to bet," mumbled Edward. The others nodded in agreement. Alice looked outside at the fast-disappearing city and voiced out her thoughts:

"Have any of you heard from Jasper during the summer?"

"Once or twice," mumbled Emmett, stuffing his face with pumpkin pasties. "That was when Queen Piggy was burning down your house. We had such _fabulous_ time, don't you remember, Edward?"

Edward laughed. "Oh, yes. Fabulous time, aye…"

Rosalie glared at them. "What were the _fabulous_ times, Emmett?"

Emmett's face went red. "Oh, look, sheep!" he said, pointing out of the window (there was no sheep there, by the way). Rosalie snapped her fingers.

"Well? Something about the Hogwarts Criminals again?"

"Uh…technically speaking, no," mumbled Edward. Alice was about to press for more information when Queen Piggy roared from outside. Everyone covered their ears.

"Do you reckon she'll leave us alone if we give her something to eat?" suggested Rosalie. Everyone shook her heads.

"In the old days, Vikings attacked the muggles. The muggles used to pay for them to go away, but they kept coming back for more."

"Surely she's not that clever?" asked Emmett.

"I know _you_ aren't," teased Rosalie as Queen Piggy led her little gang away. Outside, the sky began to darken and it seemed to Alice that they were at Hogwarts in only a few minutes' time.

"Oh, man, we have to face the O.W.L.s this year," groaned Rosalie as she pulled on her robes over her clothes. The boys had been swept outside for certain reason…nothing had changed for the fifth year. Bella sighed and suddenly gasped.

"Look, it's Jacob Black!"

"Jacob Black?" asked Rosalie, pushing her way to the window. "Why would you be interested in Jacob Black?"

Alice pressed her nose to the window. Sure enough, in the gloom of the night, she could see just Jacob Black towering above all the other students, but who he was with made the biggest difference;

"Jasper!" mumbled Alice. Without thinking, she began to push her way out of the compartment, but Bella pulled her back.

"Um, Alice, I think you need to look at this before you go."

Alice whirled back to the window and gasped. "Queen Piggy!" she gasped. Apart from Jasper and Jacob Black, Queen Piggy was also there with Malfoy and a gang of Slytherins. All of them were deep in conversation and took no notice of the students pushing around them.

"What is he doing?" whispered Bella. At this moment, Edward and Emmett burst into the compartment.

"Sorry, but you guys are taking too long to—"

"Shush!" hissed Rosalie. Edward and Emmett both fell silent and crowded to the window.

"Isn't that Queen Piggy?" mumbled Emmett. No one answered him; it was pretty obvious. As Alice watched, Malfoy was now speaking; he turned onto Queen Piggy and jabbed a finger at her. Queen Piggy replied with something obviously insulting, for Malfoy looked furious, but Jasper dowsed her with cold water by contributing to the insult coldly and Queen Piggy looked liable to explode. It must have something to do with nationalities, because she whipped an American flag out of nowhere and waved it in the Slytherins' faces.

Edward laughed suddenly. "Why are we spying on Jasper?" he said, and the tension in the room broke. "For all we know, he might just be discussing homework with his buddies."

"Does homework include waving a flag?" asked Rosalie in a timid voice. Emmett snorted with laughter.

"Who knows, maybe Americans do it."

"The British—I mean, we obviously do it as well," muttered Alice as Jacob Black pulled out the British flag and brandished it at Queen Piggy. Malfoy and the others shook their heads in disgust, obviously exasperated by their behaviour.

"Well, let's go," said Bella brightly. She pulled Alice away from the window. "Come on, everyone's nearly gone and I daresay you would like to see Jasper before dinner, Alice? When was the last time you saw him—two months? Three?"

Alice growled playfully and pushed Bella ahead of her and out onto the platform. By the time they reached where the Slytherins had been only a few moments ago, however, they were already gone.

"Too bad, Alice," muttered Edward. Alice scowled darkly and marched her way up to the carriages, followed by her friends and joined Leah and Seth.

"Alice!" beamed Leah. "How is Hogwarts' champion?"

"Sulking," said Bella. Seth laughed.

"Cheer up, you'll see him later," assured Rosalie as the carriage set off. "Even if you don't, it isn't like he's going to find another girl and dump you, right?"

"Who knows?" grumbled Alice. "Stinking Slytherin."

Everyone laughed, including Alice, who found herself laughing against her will. Seth leaned forward to Alice.

"Now Alice, you didn't hear it from me, but—" here, he cocked an eyebrow at Emmett, "—Emmett and Rosalie—"

"Oh, no you don't, Seth!" yelled Leah and Rosalie at the same time. Edward and Bella cocked an eyebrow.

"Yes, Seth? What happened?"

"I might crack your bones," threatened Emmett. Seth smirked.

"Well…during the summer, Leah and I went to Diagon Alley…"

"Please don't," begged Rosalie.

"No, I want to hear this!" insisted Alice.

"Well…it was sort of a dark night and I suggested that we go home. However, when we turned the corner…" Seth stopped dramatically. Three pairs of eyes watched him intently.

"Just spit it out!" said Edward. "The tension is killing me!"

Seth laughed. "And I saw Rosalie kissing Emmett!"

"Big deal!" mumbled Leah as everyone laughed. "That's right, kissing at the early age of fourteen. Seth, sorry to burst your bubble, but Edward and Bella beat them to it."

"What—really?" exclaimed Seth and it was Edward and Bella's turn to turn red and stutter. Leah smirked again.

"Yeah, in third year, straight after he got Bella back from Jacob Black, they kissed and—"

"I thought that was private!" blushed Bella.

"It was—until Nearly Headless Nick stepped in."

"Great," said Alice glumly, trying to put on a serious face. "All my friends are grown up and ready to get married—and you're all going to leave me!"

"It's sad, isn't it?" Seth fake-sobbed into her shoulder. "The blessing of love…ah, Alice, what shall we do when these people go off to their honeymoon?"

"Seth!" Leah said curtly, hitting him over the head. "You mustn't say that—Alice has her own love life already!"

Seth rubbed his head. "Her own love life? Let's see…could it be Draco Malfoy?"

"I thought we already discussed Alice's steamy love life when she was in the hospital wing," frowned Edward.

"Nah, that was with Sam. I wasn't there, remember? Got detention for playing Quidditch with Mad-Eye-Moody's eye…"

As the carriage drew up against Hogwarts, Alice slipped silently away from her friends as they began to talk about O.W.L.s and pushed her way through all the other students as they made their way into the castle for dinner. Spotting Jasper picking his fingernails with disinterest as he listened to Jacob Black and Queen Piggy argue, she leaped forwards.

"Can I have a word?" she asked, bouncing between Jasper and Malfoy. Jasper's face lit up instantly when he saw her.

"Alice—"

She pulled him away from the crowd. "Not here," she muttered, ignoring Jasper's confused protests. When they finally reached the old, dying tree at the bottom of Hagrid's pumpkin patch, she stopped.

"Alice, what is this all about?" asked Jasper, frowning slightly. Alice glared up at him, noticing that it was harder to look at him straight in the face now—he had shot up another inch or two during the summer.

"Where were you during summer?" she demanded. "No owls, not a word…" she took a deep breath. "Did you know we were attacked by dead bodies two months ago?"

"Huh?"

"Dead bodies that were alive!" Alice hissed. Jasper's face showed blankness.

"Do you mean Inferi?"

"I don't know!" Alice almost shouted. "And meanwhile, you were off doing something that you won't even bother telling your friends…"

"I did them with Emmett and Edward," said Jasper evenly, as though he had just caught on why Alice was so agitated.

"What was it, then? And why weren't you at King's Cross Station?"

"I came to school another way," Jasper responded calmly. "And as for what we did, that's for Edward to tell you, not me. Anything else?"

Alice glared at him, realization suddenly dawning on her. "Yes," she said. "How was your summer?"

Without knowing how, tears suddenly leaked out from the corners of her eyes and the world turned blurry. Alice cursed her stupid eyes—why did they always start crying when she didn't feel like it?

"Don't cry!" Jasper's voice broke through her confused thoughts. Alice wiped her eyes furiously with her sleeve and looked up at him, awaiting his answer. Jasper seemed to ponder it thoroughly.

"It was…" he said finally. "Awful…" Without warning, he lifted her onto one of the tree's branches so that they were almost level with each other, their faces nearly touching. "Awful…without you."

Alice raised her eyebrows. "Really?" she asked, looking into his brilliant sapphire eyes for the tiniest bit of insincerity. She found none.

"Really," said Jasper, his right hand cradling the side of her face. By now, their foreheads were touching—the closest contact they had ever been to each other. Alice raised her chin slightly and closed her eyes and then they kissed.

It was something totally different to anything she had ever experienced before. Jasper's lips were a little drier than she had thought, but she didn't care as she locked her fingers around his neck, the kiss still continuing. A strong feeling of warmth exploded at the bottom of her stomach and her heart swelled with happiness and bliss. And, although she didn't know, the dead tree beneath her began to straighten and uncurl itself from death, its leaves unravelling themselves from deep sleep and began to breathe again…

**AN **

**Ta-da! The long wait over! Not only is Jasper back, we have the first kiss! I hope it was okay…I think this is the first time I've written anything like this, it's fairly new and took ages (most of the time wasted by me laughing to myself and blushing and laughing again with embarrassment)…tell me if you liked it or not!**

**Again, nothing is held against American readers **_**or**_** British. It's just a fun war of difference that I hope I have done right. If I've got something wrong, please correct me!**

**And I want to thank every single person who favourited this story—there are over a hundred people now! You guys rock!**

**Please REVIEW!!!**


	36. This Is What?

**This Is Sparta, Toad!**

"This is Sparta!!!"

Alice ducked as Emmett and Edward nearly knocked her over as they hogged the teacher's desk, both dressed in Spartan clothes. "Emmett!" Rosalie shouted angrily from across the room, "Don't you _dare—_"

"Fear us!" Edward called back at her. "Fear us and—"

"SILENCE!"

Everyone in the room fell silent as the new DA teacher walked into the room. Alice gasped.

"Bella, it's—"

"Mr. Masen and McCarty, huh?" sneered Mrs. Do-Do. She gave a smirk at the two boys at her desk. "I've had a difficult time with you in the past year, but now, I'm the teacher, and _I am the rules here!_"

**~0o0o0o0o0o0o0~**

"…"

"Did you hear something, Emmett?"

"No—did you?"

Mrs. Toad scowled a terrible scowl. "GET OFF MY DESK NOW AND GO SIT SOMEWHERE ELSE!"

"Whoa—that one beats Professor McGonagall, Edward!"

"I know, Emmett! Scary, eh?"

"If you do not get back to your seats, I will put you in detention!" Mrs. Toad hissed angrily. The entire class was either holding their breath to see what would happen, or sniggering behind their hands. "This is a class—"

"A class, Emmett? She said that this is a class."

"No, missy, this—"

"—is—"

"**SPARTA**!" Rosalie, Bella and Alice yelled together along with the two boys. Alice regretted it instantly.

"You five," said Mrs. Toad, breathing heavily through her nose, "will receive detention with me. Tonight. End of story. Anyone else wants Sparta?" she glared around at the whole class.

Everyone raised their hands.

**AN**

**Honestly, you guys give me no choice on this thing :( I so wanted to abandon this, but no more than one month later, someone goes and steals the entire story. Why? This is ridiculous… *runs away from an angry crowd* Well, thanks for reading, anyway, and**

**Please REVIEW!!!**


	37. Christmas Phoenix

**Christmas Phoenix**

"So, where are you going to be for Christmas, Alice?"

Alice brushed her hair out of her eyes and squinted at Rosalie through the snow. "Hogwarts, I suppose," she mumbled, nearly tripping over a hidden rock. "You?"

"I have to go home," Bella said in a regretful tone. "Something about a Christmas spirit thing… anyways, you two have fun…"

"I'm going home, too," Rosalie said, to Alice's surprise. She grinned apologetically. "Mother wants to prevent Jasper from going to his uncle again, so she wants everyone back home."

"Don't tell me Edward and Emmett are not going to be here as well," Alice said, eyes glaring daggers at Bella. Bella shrugged.

"Maybe… I mean, many people aren't staying this year, because of the Death Eater breakout from Azkaban. Why don't you come to stay at our place, Alice?"

Alice bit her lip. It was three days till the holidays, and the rest of her family was away in Australia (or somewhere hot). She only hoped that she wasn't going to be the only one staying at Hogwarts.

Ever since term had started, Jasper had been absent for large chunks of school, appearing and disappearing at different times. Every time he showed up at school, however, he would leave within the next three days, so that Alice had not seen him for at least three months. Rosalie seemed to read her thoughts.

"On the bright side," she said, as thought trying to cheer her up, "it's Christmas, so there's going to be presents—"

"—Turkey," Bella sighed.

"—pudding, too—"

"And LEEK WAFFLES!" Emmett cheered in Rosalie's ear, clotting it up with snow. Rosalie turned and slapped his back, earning him a jeer from Edward.

"Say, Alice, you're going to be the only one at Hogwarts this year," Edward said as he and Emmett continued to lob snowballs at the girls. He winked at Alice. "Be careful, the Christmas Vampires bite!"

"What Christmas Vampires?"

"Vampires, Edward? Wheeeeeeeeee!" Emmett and Edward began to wrestle with each other in the snow. Bella tutted in disgust.

"Will you two grow up?" she demanded, nudging at the two with her toe. "Get up—"

"Umbridge is here!" hissed Rosalie suddenly. In an instant, Edward and Emmett were up, blinking in fear. Sure enough, Mrs. Toad was standing at the front door, looking straight at them.

"Hurry up and get inside," she snapped at them as they approached. She glared bleary at Edward and Emmett. "Clean yourselves up before you enter—Mr. Filch is complaining again, as you boys love to mess up the castle."

Edward opened his mouth to argue, but at a glance from the girls, he quickly shut up. As soon as she was out of sight, Emmett flipped Mrs. Do-Do off.

"Emmett!" Rosalie said, pretending to be horrified, but grinning wickedly at the same time. "Don't—"

A large barn owl suddenly knocked Edward to the ground. "Hey—" he began, only to have the owl nip sharply at his wrist. "Ow!"

"It's from Jasper," Rosalie said, taking the letter from the owl, which disappeared in a puff of smoke. Edward scowled.

"If it's Jasper's owl," he grumbled, "then he'd better pay for the medical treatment on these wounds. I've had enough of these fake owls that attack humans—"

"It's probably to ward off the people opening the letters," Bella suggested, pointing to the letter. "See, there isn't a sign that it's been opened before."

"Maybe it's something he doesn't want Mrs. Toad to know…"

Their words faded as Alice ripped open the letter excitedly, but her enthusiasm quickly when she found only a short note waiting for her.

_**Guys,  
How's everyone? Hoping you're all doing great.**_

_**I won't be able to come back to Hogwarts for Christmas, nor back home. There are… certain things that need to be finished before I come back to school. Besides that, everything's good, and I wish I were here.  
Wishing you all a Merry Christmas,  
Jasper**_

_**PS: Alice, do me a favour and fry this letter when you've finished reading it. Your Christmas present is enclosed.**_

Alice squinted. "Huh? There's nothing here…" the rest of the envelope was empty. Rosalie sighed.

"He's probably up to his old tricks again… damn that Jasper. Well, what are you waiting for, Alice? Burn the stupid thing."

"All right…" Alice took the piece of paper uncertainly and took out her want. "_Katon, goukakyuu no jutsu—_" **(Translation: Fire Element: Grand Fireball Technique *or something like that T.T*)**

She shrank back as the flames grazed the paper, sending it in a flurry of flames. Bella frowned.

"I don't see—"

"Look!" Edward pointed at the flames. "It's a—"

"It's a phoenix!" gasped Rosalie.

It was indeed a phoenix, graceful and intimidating in the roaring flames. Even as they watched, the phoenix spread its wings, its radiance and beauty filling the entire hallway. Everyone in sight turned their heads to gasp as the flame phoenix beat its huge wings, circled the hallway once or twice, and finally disappeared outside.

"It's beautiful," breathed Alice, watching the phoenix go and melt into the snow outside. Without knowing it, her eyes were suddenly wet. Bella put an arm around her.

"You're lucky to have Jasper, Alice. That gift warms winter itself."

Alice grinned up at her. "I know."

**AN**

**Merry Christmas, everyone!**

**Look, I apologize for:**

**=The late update, but I really, really forgot. Sorry.**

**=The Naruto reference used, but I can't remember the spell for fire…forgive me.**

**=The lame quality of this chapter.**

**But… I still made this in 40 minutes. I was going as fast as I could… so anyways,**

**Wishing you all a Happy Christmas, and a Happy New Year! =]**

…**look, I didn't get anything for Christmas. Not even socks… so please, really, if you would like to make my day:**

**Please REVIEW!!!**


	38. Author's Note

Hi guys, it's been long.

*ducks flying bricks*

Yeah, yeah, I'm terribly sorry. It took me ages to actually like, well, login because I deleted my previous email and I couldn't find the password. So basically I was trying to hack into my own acount =3=

Um, just a few things, in case you haven't noticed?

1. Like mentioned, I no longer have my previous email address. So all your reviews, faves, alerts, etc - I really don't get them anymore. The only way I keep track of stuff is by visiting this site when I feel like it (once every 3 months? I dunno).

2. I'm no longer SarcasticTraitor/VampiricMirth/VampiricTraitor/EatDung,Loser anymore, in case you haven't noticed.

On the Internet these days my name is **Kasenbon** and you can find me on deviantART for 90% of the time now, and it's probably the only way any of you can contact me. (I also have an FF account under that name but again, I've lost _that_ password as well. Don't bother.)

3. Ah, yes, the story...

I don't hate Twilight... so don't assume it's like that so I've stopped writing my story. It' just _inspiration_ - I had this great plan at the beginning for a real long story with all the plots and stuff perfect. And then I lost the motivation continue. And you know, when you haven't thought of something for ages? You gradually fall out of the fandom and I lost all those plots. Forgotten them, more likely.

Heck, I don't even remember who the heir of Slytherin is. But once I find those plots, I'm sure I can continue...

4. Contact: the best way to contact me about anything is through the notes system on deviantART (just type _Kasenbon _into Google, it'll definitely show up); that is, if you have an account. I log on everyday, so you can be sure to get a quick reply.

If you don't, then leave a review or something and I'll get back to you in like, 5 months later. Because I procrastinate too much and I have the memory of a polar bear.

5. I think that's it... I need to say thank you to everybody who reviewed, dealt with my stupid April Fool's Joke, absences, etc. Hopefully one day I'll get off my lazy bum and start writing this again... but please, _please_ don't touch this story until further notice.

I'll let you all know if someone is going to adopt this, but it's unlikely.

And yeah... thank you all again. I find that I'm actually missing the days when someone said, _"One of my best friends is SarcasticTraitor, and she writes AMAZING stories!" _. Gah...

With love,  
Kasenbon.


	39. Last Update Adoption Blah blah blah

Zookie778 has very kindly decided to continue this story. Please see her profile in order to continue reading.

That, and thanks all for reading C: I love you all.

-ST


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